Choices
by Sweet Lu
Summary: Deeks and Kensi got married at the end of my multi-chapter story, Breakthrough. Before going on their honeymoon, they spend some time at the Atwood ranch in Wyoming to decompress. Soldier, Elan Hand's son becomes embroiled with another local family, and Deeks ends up in the middle of it. An Atwood Chronicles Story.
1. Chapter 1

**Choices**

_Chapter 1_

…

Soldier found him at the overlook. It was a beautiful place he always sought out to gather his thoughts in peace, to find tranquility. The view of the valley far below, the vast open sky, and the massive stone monolith at his back had always offered him a sense of comfort. But most of all, this wild place had somehow become the family spot for working out problems. Deeks pulled off his old straw cowboy hat and ruffled his hair, waiting for the boy as he urged his pinto up the long slope. He wasn't really that surprised to see him, having noticed that he kept watching him during breakfast. Since arriving at the ranch, he'd sensed the rising tension between the kid and his father, Elan. His Arapaho cousin hadn't wanted to talk about it, but apparently Soldier needed to talk to someone or he wouldn't have followed him up here.

The decision to spend a few days at the ranch in Wyoming before flying off on their honeymoon had been Kensi's idea. They'd had to postpone it a few months due to the increase in their caseload, but he wasn't going to complain. The delay had given them the time to settle into their marriage and get used to being more than just partners or lovers who lived together. Their working relationship hadn't been all that different in the beginning, but Hetty had warned them they were under heavy scrutiny from the higher ups, and warned them to be on their best behavior. Even Director Vance had called, questioning each one separately, and making them aware that any misstep might cause them to be separated or even transferred. Trying to be perfect had left them both drained by the end of most days, so when Kensi suggested they spend some time at the ranch with his adopted family to decompress before their honeymoon, he'd jumped at the idea.

What he'd found at this ranch still amazed him at times, because it had been so unexpected. He never took this special place for granted or the family who had adopted him into their's when he'd become so burdened with guilt he couldn't function. Joe Atwood had tricked him into coming here that first time, both of them wounded in different ways. It had opened a new world for him. He'd found peace and brotherhood and the father he'd never had. George Atwood had recognized the pain he'd carried since childhood, and their long talks had cemented their bond. This family and this ranch were part of his life now, and Kensi's as well. Coming here was just what they both needed…a haven where they didn't have to prove themselves every day. It was the perfect place to unwind.

When they first arrived, George had sensed the tension he'd brought with him almost immediately. He hadn't even attempted to deny what he was feeling, and their long talks had smoothed out some of the stress he was dealing with. Kensi and Diane spent those first few days giggling like schoolgirls, talking about the imminent birth of Joe and Di's baby girl. His new wife's smile was back as she finally began to shed the burden of trying to be perfect and simply relaxed.

Being with Joe again was allowing the two of them to reestablish and strengthen their brotherly bond. They didn't talk about the job or the case that had almost broken that bond, they just joked and bantered like they had when they'd first worked together. On one of their long rides they'd discussed their Arapaho cousin's dark mood, both concerned that he wouldn't talk to them about it. Elan wouldn't even acknowledge Deeks' jokes, not that he'd ever offered much more than a quick grin. It was clear something was bothering him. This morning, as Soldier dismounted, that worried look was back on his face again. The one he hadn't seen for a very long time.

Soldier would turn fourteen this summer. He was long and lithe, and still shy around people he didn't know. He'd never quite lost that wariness he'd developed as a child. He didn't trust easily, and could still be hurt by an insensitive comment or a perceived rejection. It was painful to watch him and his father at odds, and he was curious as to what he came up here to say.

"Grampa Jim says it might snow later," the boy said as he walked over to the edge of the cliff, scanning the thickening clouds. "But Grampa George doesn't think so."

"They do like to bicker over things," Deeks replied, laughing softly. "Even the weather."

The kid remained silent for some time and Deeks was patient, not wanting to rush him and scare him away.

"Uncle Deeks? Can I ask you something?" He finally said with a soft, but determined voice.

"Absolutely."

"How do you know when you're in love?"

The unexpected question surprised him and he held back a smile when the boy turned to stare at him with dark brown eyes full of need. He knew if he made a joke Soldier would be hurt and he didn't want that. The kid was serious and he had to honor that.

"When did you know you loved Kensi?" He asked, sinking cross-legged on the ground in front of him, intense and curious.

"Good question," Deeks said, looking down at the hat in his hands as he tried to formulate an answer.

"Don't you know?"

He looked up quickly at the boy, unsure how honest he should be. The trust in Soldier's eyes reminded him that the boy hated to be lied to, so honesty was the only option.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" He replied with a soft grin, and getting a brilliant one in return. "So…I was attracted to her from the beginning. Her not so much."

"She didn't like you?" He asked, looking surprised.

"She was totally unimpressed by my incredibly charming personality…at first," he laughed. "Do you know what flirting is, Soldier?"

"No."

Soldier had always been straightforward and honest with his feelings, always blunt and to the point, so he wasn't surprised the boy didn't understand.

"It's kind of like teasing," Deeks said, but the kid just stared back at him. "You flirt to show a girl you're interested in them…to see if they might like you back."

"Why can't you just tell them you like 'em?" he replied. "Lily told me that's what she did when she met Papa."

"I know, but that doesn't always work. It can scare some girls away," he replied. "That's what I was afraid of with Kensi."

"But when did you know you loved her?" The boy pressed.

"A long time before I told her," he admitted, not wanting to get into all the complications of their relationship. "We supposedly had a "thing", but we didn't act on it…we just kept flirting…and over time…"

"How long?"

"A few years," he lied.

Soldier looked stunned and slightly disappointed in his answer. "So you weren't sure you loved her all that time?"

The kid's comment made him reflective, and his mind drifted back to several moments in his past.

"I knew the night I told her she smelled like sunshine and gunpowder," he confided quietly.

"What did she do when you said that?"

"Not sure she even heard me," Deeks said, staring up at the clouds as memories flooded his mind.

"So how did you tell her?" Soldier doggedly asked.

"I kissed her…which at the time didn't seem to go over very well," he laughed out softly.

"Is that how you got her to like you?"

"I think I got her attention," Deeks said with a smile, for some reason feeling slightly embarrassed to be discussing his love life with a kid.

"So it worked?"

"Yeah, no…not immediately," he replied, not wanting to go much deeper into all that happened after that.

"But it might sometimes…right?" He asked earnestly, making Deeks realize what was going on.

"Do you think you're in love, Soldier?" Deeks asked gently.

The shy smile on the boy's face told him all he needed to know, and he smiled back at him.

"What's her name?"

"Molly."

"Did you meet her at school?"

"Nah. I was riding along Beaver Creek," he said. "She was just sitting on a rock by the bank. She looked sad, so I rode over to say hi."

"She was by herself?" Deeks asked.

"Yeah. Kinda surprised me too," he replied. "She told me she lived close by though, and she didn't look scared or nothin'. We talked a long time, and she's real pretty, especially when she smiles."

"So you met up with her again, I'm guessing."

"No, not yet," he said, smiling widely.

"And you think you're in love after talking to her one time?" Deeks asked, trying not to be dismissive, but failing miserably.

"You sound like Papa," he said, and quickly got to his feet. "He laughed at me too."

"I'm not laughing at you, Soldier," he hurried to say, standing to stop him from rushing off. "Actually, I think it's pretty amazing."

"Papa says he doesn't want me to see her again," Soldier said sadly as he fiddled with the reins of his horse. "I think he knows her dad…"

"And he doesn't like him," Deeks finished for him when he hesitated. "Did he tell you why?"

"No. Just got mad and told me to stay away from her."

The kid became withdrawn as he spoke, and he really couldn't blame him. It wasn't like Elan to be so harsh with his son, but he knew there had to be good cause for his warning. Whatever the reason, it had hurt the boy, so he decided to change the subject.

"Since we're up here, why don't you show me those pregnant mares Uncle Jim has been going on and on about," Deeks said. "Maybe Sheila can give them some tips about having baby horses."

The kid grinned, erasing some of the worry lines on his face. He nodded his agreement and swung easily into the saddle, quietly waiting until he mounted up to follow him.

"You know they're called foals, right Uncle Deeks?" He asked, still smiling.

"Why is that?" He asked, raising an eyebrow as if pondering a serious question.

"Don't know. Never thought about it," the kid replied.

"Maybe we should call them horse puppies," Deeks quipped as they started down the hill. "That would really get George and Uncle Jim going."

"You're funny, Uncle Deeks."

Before he could reply, Soldier kicked his pinto and raced down toward the line of lodgepole pines that bordered Elan's small valley. He pushed Sheila to catch up, but knew he had no chance. The boy could ride, and the pinto was a lot younger and faster than his mare.

Soldier had obviously been seriously smitten with the girl he'd met. Why Elan didn't approved was a mystery. The man was certainly no prude, but he was very protective of his son, but that might not be so easy to accomplish in this case. Soldier could be stubborn, standing his ground when he believed in the truth of something. He thought he was in love. Elan might be hard pressed to persuade him otherwise. Maybe Kensi could talk to the boy. It sure as hell couldn't hurt. Hopefully Elan would be willing to explain to him why he had warned his son off what appeared to be a harmless crush.

He pulled up as they broke from the tree line. Deeks never tired of coming into the small valley George had deeded over to Elan. A meadow of rapidly greening grasses and scattered wildflowers spread out toward the distant cabin and the old horse barn attached to the corral between them. They had recently fenced off a section of the meadow in front of the barn for a pasture. It backed up along a stand of aspen trees now sprouting a new growth of leaves. Several horses grazing inside raised their heads, sensing a new presence. Soldier looked over at him and whooped, kicking his pinto into a headlong rush out across the open meadow. Deeks laughed at his exuberance, and Sheila snorted and danced, wanting to follow.

"Okay, old girl. Show me you still got it."

They raced after the boy, Deeks smiling widely. He'd forgotten how exhilarating it could be to throw caution to the wind and just enjoy the freedom of tearing hell-bent across an open field for the pure fun of it. Soldier was patiently waiting beside his horse Sarge when he reached the barn.

"Forgot how fast your pinto is," Deeks said as he slid from the saddle.

"Grampa Jim wants me to run him at the State Fair this summer," the boy said proudly. "Thinks we would beat all comers."

"I wouldn't be surprised, Soldier. You're a natural."

"Yeah…that's what Vera always said," he replied quietly.

"Well, at least she was right about something," Deeks said, not wanting to delve too deeply into the pain that woman had caused them both.

Soldier looked over at him with those deep brown eyes, neither one needing words to express what that remembered name brought to mind. Vera Freitas and her sons had abused the kid his whole life before he and Elan found him. Ultimately, that family had caused the death of his mother, Bella. If it hadn't been for Soldier, he would have been tortured and killed, and Kensi would have suffered unimaginable horrors, and her life destroyed. What he owed this young boy could never be repaid.

"Let's go take a look at those mares," Deeks said, breaking the spell that had fallen over them.

They led their horses into the cool darkness of the barn. A buckskin mare poked her head over the gate of her stall and whinnied softly at Sheila. His big mare nickered and nodded her head a couple of times as if greeting the other horse. Soldier slipped inside the stall and ran his hands down her sleek neck to her shoulders and across her back, and down her side.

"She's a couple of months along, so you can't see much yet," Soldier said, sounding proud. "Her name's Peaches."

"She's a pretty little thing," Deeks said.

"Not as pretty as the chestnut in the next stall," Soldier said. "Uncle Jim says she has great bloodlines and the stallion we bred her to is one of the best cutting horses around."

The boy quickly put a halter on Peaches and led her out, releasing her into the corral. He was smiling when he came back into the barn and headed toward the stall a little further in. The head of a magnificent looking chestnut suddenly appeared and nickered softly at the boy. He pulled a long carrot from his jacket pocket and broke it into three pieces, handing one over to him before feeding one to his pinto. Sheila quickly snagged the treat out of his hand and began happily crunching away. The big mare in the stall snorted indignantly, definitely unhappy that she was missing out. Soldier laughed and held out the last piece of carrot for her to take.

"She loves carrots," he said.

"Looks like all of them love carrots," Deeks said. "What's this one's name?"

"Uncle Jim named her Red Lady Bird, to honor his great grandmother," Soldier replied softly. "I call her Lady."

"He used Red Bird's pouch to hold our rings at the wedding," Deeks said as he ran his hand along the mare's cheek.

"Papa's gonna give her foal to Uncle Joe for little Chris to ride when he's old enough," Soldier said. "We'll let Chris pick its name."

"That should be interesting," Deeks laughed. "A three-year-old with a limited vocabulary. What could possible go wrong?"

"Don't matter what you name 'em as long as they come when you call," Soldier said as he led the big red mare out of the stall.

"You think horses really know their names?" Deeks asked with a grin.

"Doesn't Sheila come in from grazing when you call her?" Soldier asked. "She does when I do."

"Now I'm jealous," Deeks said, giving his mare an aggrieved look. "Where's the loyalty?"

"Grampa George told me she used to follow you around the corral when you first came here."

"Almost knocked me into the water trough a couple of times," he replied, smiling at the memory.

"She liked you," Soldier said.

"Yeah…we definitely formed a connection," Deeks said. "Just like people. We became friends."

"Like me and Molly," the boy said with a wide smile as he attached a lead rope to the pregnant mare's halter.

As they moved toward the side door, the horse stopped abruptly and raised her head, pricking her ears forward. Sheila turned her head to look out of the open front doors of the barn and Soldier's pinto nickered softly. Deeks walked past his mare and listened, finally making out the sound of an approaching rider.

"Sounds like your dad might be looking for you," he said as Soldier came to stand beside him, still holding the mare's lead.

"No. That's not him," Soldier said. "That horse has a different gait than Papa's horse, Crow."

How he could know that, Deeks had no idea, but he believed him. He moved a little closer to the entrance, feeling slightly uneasy. The silhouette of a horse and rider suddenly blocked out most of the light, dust rising around the horse's legs as it danced nervously in place. Deeks instinctively stepped in front Soldier as he moved forward to greet the man. He looked to be in his mid twenties and ripped, his tight shirt and rolled up sleeves leaving nothing to the imagination. His dark denim jeans looked new, but his grey cowboy hat was well worn and pulled down so it was hard to see his eyes. His square jaw was pale, and rough with stubble.

"Can I help you?" Deeks asked.

"No…cause by the look of you, you ain't that Indian boy's old man," he said in a deep voice, flicking a thick finger toward Soldier.

"I'm his uncle. Now who are you and what do you want?" Deeks growled back, annoyed by the man's tone.

"Name's Purty Kemp, and I come to tell that Indian kid to stay away from Molly," the man said. "Our family don't want him messing around her. He'd be smart to listen."

"We just talked," Soldier said sharply.

Deeks put a hand on the boy's shoulder, needing him to remain calm. "Come on, man. They're just kids. Soldier was just trying to make a friend."

"She don't need that kind of friend," he said. "You stay away from her, kid. You hear me? I find you coming around I'll…"

"You'll what?" Deeks snapped as he moved toward the guy. "You threaten him, you threaten me and our whole family. And you really don't want to do that."

Kemp snorted out a laugh. "I'll say whatever the hell I want to, dude."

The man backed his lathered horse away from the barn, his eyes never leaving Deeks.

"You and your family better remember what I said. Especially you, kid," he spit out, yanking the reins roughly across his horse's neck, turning it toward the meadow.

Deeks watched him go, blowing out his breath to try and calm himself. When he looked over at Soldier, the boy looked grim, his fists held rigidly against his side.

"You okay?" Deeks asked.

"He sorta reminded me of Billy," Soldier said in a whisper.

Billy Freitas was the man his mother had run off with, taking Soldier with them before Elan ever had a chance to know he existed. Growing up, the boy and his mother had endured terrible abuse from Billy, but his reaction to this man was different. He'd been afraid of Billy and his family, but now he simply looked angry and defiant and although that made Deeks proud, it also scared him.

"I like her, Uncle Deeks," Soldier said tightly. "She likes me too. We're friends."

"Soldier…"

"Don't I have the right to be friends with whoever I want?" He asked boldly.

"Of course you do, Soldier, but…"

"If she wants to be my friend, then I'm gonna be hers," he sounded fierce, and turned away to lead the mare out into the corral.

Deeks took a deep breath and slowly stroked Sheila's neck as he thought about what just happened. Kemp's nasty comments had made him angry, but was the man just showing his concern, or was there something more sinister behind it. Purty Kemp obviously cared about Molly, and she was very young, but Deeks was trained to question people's motives. It was hard to fault a man trying to protect a member of his family, yet Deeks had gotten a bad vibe from the guy, especially after the implied threat. Elan knew something or he wouldn't have warned Soldier away from the girl, and that added to the bad feeling he was getting. What had surprised him was Soldier's response. There had been a hint of rebellion in his attitude and tone of voice. He was growing up, and no longer the traumatized eleven-year-old he'd first met in that dark place below the stairs. He also knew he was brave, and that, combined with his stubborn streak, might cause him to make some bad choices.

He pulled his phone to call Elan when Sheila nickered softly and raised her head. Shoving the phone back in his pocket, he moved quickly out into the corral. Soldier was perched on the back fence talking to a slight girl sitting atop a bald faced sorrel. This must be Molly, and Deeks quickly scanned the valley to make sure Purty Kemp wasn't around. Grateful the man was gone, he decided it was time to meet the girl that Soldier thought he was in love with. As he slowly approached the two, he assessed the girl. The contrast between them was stark. Soldier wore his hair the traditional Arapaho way like his father. It was long and shiny black. Her's was cropped really short and pale blond, almost white. The knees of her jeans were ripped, and the dark grey tee shirt she wore under her denim jacket was imprinted with a white line drawing of hills and the sea with the words Próxima Parada curving over it. In Spanish that meant, "next stop", and he wondered if she knew that. If she did, did those words hold special meaning for her? Was being with Soldier some sort of rebellion or rejection of the life she'd been born into?

When he reached them he pointed at her tee shirt. "Like your shirt. What's it mean?"

She stared placidly at him and then looked back at Soldier and rolled her eyes. "It's a band I found on Spotify. Their music's lit."

"What's that mean?" Soldier asked shyly.

"Means they're awesome," Deeks said, before turning his attention back to the girl. "Hi, Molly. I'm Marty Deeks. Soldier's uncle."

"You're the one who surfs," she replied, letting a soft smile bloom briefly. "Soldier told me you love the ocean. Never seen it, but I will someday."

"You won't be disappointed," he replied kindly.

"Soldier said my brother Purty was here," Molly said, looking off toward the cabin as if afraid to see his reaction.

"He was."

"He's really my half brother, but he still likes to tell me what to do…mostly what not to do," she said, sounding weary and a little sad. "All of 'em do."

"Told me to stay away from you," Soldier said.

"Yeah…I got that lecture too," she replied. "It's shit to be the youngest."

Deeks was surprised by the bitterness in her voice and by the language. There definitely was an edge to this girl, a wildness that belied her sweet appearance.

"Do you have a big family?" Deeks asked.

"You're a cop? Right?" She asked, looking steadily at him.

"Federal agent, actually."

She shrugged her shoulders as if there was no difference. "My dad's a lawyer. He doesn't like me telling people stuff about our family."

"I'm just curious, since your brother threatened Soldier," Deeks said easily. "I don't especially like that either."

"Uncle Deeks!" Soldier said. "It ain't her fault."

"I better go, before I get arrested," Molly said, laughing softly as she pulled her horse's head up. "See you around, Soldier."

"Want me to ride along with you?" Soldier asked.

"Soldier…" Deeks couldn't help the warning in his voice as he put a restraining hand on the boy's arm.

"Don't think your uncle likes that idea," Molly said, kicking her horse into action. "Bye, Uncle Deeks."

Her final goodbye was said in a mocking tone that irritated him, but it was Soldier's response that worried him. The boy watched her go then pulled his arm free from Deeks' hand and jumped down from the fence, his face stormy as he walked away. The whole encounter had made Deeks feel like an outsider and damn old. It had been a long time since he'd been a young teenager, so maybe the whole exchange was understandable. Still, there was something underneath it all that made him uncomfortable. He hadn't misunderstood the threat her brother Purty had made. It had been plain and disturbing. He wasn't about to let Elan stonewall him after this. He needed to talk to him and the rest of the family. But first, he had to make peace with Soldier, so he followed him.

"You didn't tell me she was that pretty," he said when he caught up to him in the barn.

He was disappointed when Soldier didn't reply. The kid wouldn't look at him, just quickly mounted his pinto and urged him out of the barn. He was scanning the hills behind the house as Deeks followed him out. Molly was waiting on a rise behind the cabin, and Deeks knew he wouldn't be able to keep Soldier from joining her.

"Be careful," was all Deeks could say, and the boy nodded, looking solemn and resolute.

Soldier kicked his pinto into a trot and then loped around the edge of the corral and up the slope behind the cabin. Deeks watched until he saw him meet up with Molly. The boy never looked back, but she did, waving before following Soldier into the hills beyond.

…

…

_If you are interested in Soldier's backstory and the earlier events mentioned here, please read the story "Crossroads" from my series, The Atwood Chronicles._


	2. Chapter 2

**Choices**

_Chapter 2_

…

Deeks' eyes lingered on the gently rising hills behind the cabin for some time. He thought about following the two kids, but couldn't think how he would explain himself if he actually caught up with them. Soldier would resent him for the intrusion, and he didn't want the boy to think he distrusted him. George had tried to warn him earlier, telling him the kid had started "taking the bit in his teeth". It was his way of saying that Soldier had become a little wild and not as obedient as he used to be, but like all kids of a certain age, he was "feeling his oats." The old-fashioned sayings had made him chuckle, but he'd thoroughly enjoyed hearing them, especially because they were so George-like. Deeks never tired of listening to him dispense his well-earned wisdom. Elan had just grunted when he'd heard him, saying something in Arapaho that Uncle Jim scolded him lightly about with a smile on his face. He wondered if Elan would get mad at him for letting Soldier go off with Molly, another reason he was considering following them.

The small buckskin mare suddenly nuzzled his shoulder and he turned, finally noticing the drop in temperature. The weather had been unseasonably warm since they'd arrived…an early spring George had called it. A very warm one no one had expected. But now, heavy grey clouds crowded into the valley, hanging so low he felt as if he could reach up and touch them. The temperature drop had been sudden and he could almost smell the snow about to fall. He wasn't sure if he should take the two mares back into the barn, and he glanced back up toward the hills, worried about Soldier and Molly being caught in the coming storm. Finally he took hold of Peaches' halter, and walked her over to the trough to get the chestnut.

"Come on, my beautiful pregnant ladies," Deeks said. "You need to take care of yourselves and those puppy horses you're carrying."

By the time he had them back in their stalls he was feeling the cold seep through the thick flannel shirt he was wearing. Sheila had discovered a bucket of oats and he had a hard time pulling her away. Once he got her attention he was able to lead her out of the barn, firmly closing the doors behind him. They walked over to the cabin and he went inside to see if there was a heavy coat he could borrow. Happily, one hung on a hook just inside the door, along with a dark blue wool scarf. He quickly slipped on the toasty, fleece lined coat, and stuffed the wool scarf in one of the pockets. Soldier knew these hills and how quickly the weather could change this time of year, but neither kid had looked prepared for the cold or for snow. Now he had good reason to follow them. Deeks pulled the boy's winter coat off the rack, and yanked a Pendleton blanket off a chair and headed back out. After tying them both behind his saddle he pulled the scarf out of his pocket and wrapped it loosely around his neck. As he mounted his mare, the first flecks of snow began to float down out of the sky. The view down the valley began to soften with the snowfall, and the three yearlings in the pasture were pacing back and forth, tossing their heads. They looked as if they were enjoying themselves, but he knew he should put them in the barn with the two mares. It would cost him time, but he didn't know how long he'd be gone, and he wasn't about to risk Elan's small herd.

By the time he'd rounded them all up and got them into the remaining stalls with some fresh oats to snack on, the snowfall had become heavy and obscured the lower end of the valley. The air was sharp and icy, and he wished he'd worn the grey winter Stetson George had given him all those years ago. The old straw one he had on was doing nothing to keep his head warm. Sheila shook the large flakes of snow from her mane as he mounted and turned her toward the rise where he'd last seen Soldier and Molly. A stillness had settled over the hills that surrounded Elan's little valley. He heard no birds or any other sounds, except for Sheila snuffling as he urged her up the hill to the ridge. Her breath came out in visible clouds that curled up around her head. Pausing, he looked out over the cabin and the grove of lodgepole pines beyond, just able to see the top of the rocky monolith he had started for that morning. The trees looked dark and moody against the falling snow, the rugged granite tower hovering above them like a wayward ghost.

"Awesome," he whispered, wishing Kensi was riding with him.

As he clucked for Sheila to move along, he realized he had no idea where the two kids might be heading. It made him feel a little stupid. He wasn't a tracker like his wife, but felt he at least had to try. It was getting colder, the snow now mixed with sharper particles of ice as the wind picked up. He wrapped the scarf more tightly around his neck and kept going. He could only hope Soldier had turned around and was heading back. If he was lucky, he would run into them.

He followed the saddleback ridge, which eventually led to a small plateau dusted with snow. Wildflowers nodded, their heads bending to the will of the wet snow. He was able to see barely discernible tracks across it to the trees beyond and he was encouraged, and kicked Sheila into a trot. He'd been riding for about an hour and was winding through a stand of aspen when he heard a branch crack off to his right.

"Soldier?" His shout sounding muted, so he yelled again.

A dark shape emerged through the white-barked trees and whipping snow, the man's horse jumping sideways when a branch spilled white powder down on its nose. He recognized the gravelly voice of Purty Kemp as he fired off a couple of curses. Deeks waited while he got the animal under control, trying to decide how to play this encounter. The man hadn't left at all, but had hung around. Deeks wasn't happy about that, but he was hoping the man might have some idea where the kids were.

"You looking for 'em too?" The man asked, surprising him.

"They aren't exactly dressed for the weather," Deeks replied.

"That girl's got no sense at all," Kemp replied. "But, that Indian kid shoulda known better."

"Why don't you just call him Soldier," Deeks said. "That way you won't piss me off anymore than you already have."

"You know where you're going?" He asked, ignoring Deeks' comment.

"Lost their tracks in the trees," he replied, trying to sound somewhat knowledgeable, but the man snorted at his comment, his disbelief apparent in his smile.

"Looks like she might be headed home," Kemp said, and turned his horse to follow an opening in the aspen grove. "I'll send that kid home when I find 'em."

"Think I'll tag alone," Deeks stated, urging his mare after him.

"Whatever."

It wasn't long before they cleared the trees, and Kemp pulled up at the top of a ridge that sloped down to a wide, rock strewn creek swollen with runoff. The banks were icy with clumps of snow, the water running fast and dark and clear. The surrounding land was open down to the creek, but through the veil of falling snow, Deeks was able to make out fingers of dark timber that filled the draws between the ridges on the other side. There was no sign of the kids.

The wind had scoured the slope below them of most of its snow, and it whipped icy bits into the faces of both of them and their horses. Sheila turned away, walking in a circle before backing away from the edge.

"Better control that mare," Purty Kemp said. "She slips going down, you both could end up with a few broken bones. Might have to shoot her, and you…to put you out of your misery."

"You're not a real warm and fuzzy guy, are you Purty?" Deeks said. "You ever had a conversation with someone when you didn't threaten them?"

"Just keeping you on your toes," he replied. "Heard some of the men in town say you're a California boy. La La Land."

"Your point?"

"Watch yourself out here, city boy," he warned. "This is real cowboy country, not some beach with girls in bikinis."

"You got a problem with girls in bikinis?"

"No, but I got a problem with amateurs like you thinking they know what the hell they're doing on a horse in the back country."

Deeks didn't want to admit the man was right, so he didn't say anything, and Purty Kemp huffed out another laugh.

"If you're coming, you go down that slope first," Kemp said. "Don't want you and your mare tumbling down on top of me."

Deeks pulled Sheila around none too gently, and she snorted her disapproval. He saw her ears prick forward as she eyed the slope, but then coolly started down slowly, her head low. They moved down the slope at an angle and when the slope evened out halfway down, they cut back the other way, Sheila carefully navigating her way down. He turned to look back up when he heard Purty Kemp whoop. Deeks halted to watch as the man and his horse burst over the edge and plunged straight down toward the creek. They skidded past them, the horse practically sitting on its haunches as they slid and scrabbled down the steep slope.

"Showoff," Deeks muttered, as he and Sheila continued their slow traverse of the hillside.

The slope gentled out several yards from the water. A line of scrub brush choked with snow filled most of the bank before ending at the rocky edge of the creek. Kemp jerked back on his reins and they slid to a stop, the horse anxious after their crazy descent. Deeks could see the horse was agitated, it's eyes wide open and wild. Sheila whinnied and brought her head up, stopping abruptly. A covey of grouse suddenly flushed from the bushes right in front of Kemp's horse causing the animal to leap sideways toward the creek and stumble into the water, screaming as it fell on top of its rider. The horse immediately scrambled up and bolted across the creek. Deeks urged his mare down the remaining slope and jumped off. Purty Kemp looked to be unconscious and the strong current was pulling him downstream. Deeks waded in, quickly finding himself up to his thighs in the cold rushing water. The bottom was rocky and unstable, and he had trouble staying on his feet as he tried to reach the man. When the creek bottom dropped away, he floundered briefly, finally just lunging toward Kemp as he floated face down in the water. Deeks grabbed two handfuls of his khaki coat and pulled him face up, tugging him over toward the edge of the creek. He went under a couple of times as he struggled with the weight of the man in the freezing water, but managed to get one hand under his arm as he found a foothold on the creek bed. Breathing hard, he was finally able to drag him over the rocks and up onto the snowy bank. Blood streaked from a cut on Kemp's forehead, something he'd have to deal with later. With his teeth chattering, Deeks felt for a pulse, blowing out his breath when he didn't find one. Ignoring his own chills, he started CPR, rolling Kemp over on his side when he suddenly began to cough up water.

"Stay still. You're bleeding," Deeks huffed out. "I'm going for a blanket."

"Where's my fuckin' horse?" Kemp managed to choke out.

"Your fuckin' horse ran away," Deeks yelled over his shoulder as he trotted back to where Sheila waited patiently.

Both of them were soaked through, and Deeks knew if they didn't get warm and dry soon, hypothermia was a real possibility. He walked Sheila back to Kemp, who had assumed a fetal position with his arms wrapped tightly around himself. He was shivering badly.

"You break anything?" Deeks asked as he covered him with the Pendleton blanket.

"Mighta broke my elbow. Just glad I didn't break a leg," he whispered, burrowing into the blanket.

"Me too. Then I would have to shoot you, right?" Deeks quipped with a grin.

"Real funny," he grumped. "Hard to picture a hippie dude like you shootin' anybody."

Deeks stared hard at the man, and then laughed and shook his head, unwilling to give him any personal information just yet.

"Since you're the cowboy here, I'm hoping you know how to make a fire without a match," Deeks said as he stood over him shivering uncontrollably.

"I got a lighter in my jeans," the man replied. "Think you can make one with that, beach boy?"

"Sure, asshole. We make 'em that way on the beach in La La Land all the time," Deeks said, feeling the remains of his earlier anger.

He stalked away through the accumulating snow, deeply chilled as his wet clothes began to stiffen. He saw a large, skeletal old cottonwood standing sentinel not far from them, it's branches just beginning to bud. It stood close in the lee of the hill, and one of its huge limbs had peeled away from the main trunk some time ago. The broken limb lay at an angle, the space beneath it offering a rough shelter of sorts. He quickly gathered some of the rotted branches scattered around and made a pile for a fire before heading back to get Purty Kemp. The cut on the man's forehead had quit bleeding, but it was deep and he probably had a concussion. Deeks realized how pissed he still was at the man for being an idiot, racing down that steep slope just to show how tough he was. It had cost them both. Now he had to deal with him instead of looking for Soldier. He knew the men of the Atwood family would have taught the boy how to survive in the backcountry, especially Elan. He was a former Army Ranger. He never would have left any such possibility to chance. That knowledge made him feel slightly better. Now all he had to do was keep Purty Kemp and himself from freezing to death. He just hoped the man knew where the hell they were and how to get out of here once they got dry.

"Can you walk?" Deeks asked.

"Where we going?" The man asked, sounding hoarse and exhausted.

"Found a makeshift shelter under an old cottonwood," he replied. "There's wood for a fire."

Kemp groaned as he pushed himself up, keeping his left arm close to his body, favoring his broken elbow. Deeks helped him to his feet, and caught him as he stumbled, but the man swore and pushed him away.

"Don't be an idiot," Deeks said sharply. "You fall on that elbow again and it's gonna hurt like holy hell."

"How the fuck would you know," the man griped.

"Trust me. I know."

It was all Deeks said as the man stumbled toward the cottonwood tree. He caught up Sheila's reins and they followed close beside him. The man reached for him once when he tripped, and Deeks wondered if he hadn't at least sprained something or tore a tendon. At least he hadn't broken a hip. Kemp's breathing was labored by the time they reached the old cottonwood, but he was able to crawl under the fallen limb on his own. Deeks started stacking the gathered wood for a bonfire as close to the opening as possible, looking forward to a roaring fire and some warmth. He broke up some of the smaller branches for kindling and turned to ask Kemp for the lighter.

"Gotta say…that's a pretty good looking bonfire," the man said as he handed over the lighter. "Hope it lights."

"Me too. Rubbing two sticks together isn't part of my repertoire."

"Mine either," Purty admitted.

It took a couple of tries, but the lighter finally flared and Deeks grinned and quickly lit the dead leaves and kindling, shoving the flaming bundle beneath the vertically stacked wood. The wood must have been quite old, because it caught quickly, the fire snapping as it curled up with the smoke. As the flames grew, Deeks stripped off his wet coat and jeans, draping them over a couple of branches close to the fire. He felt better now that he had his boots and soggy socks off, even though his feet were freezing.

"Can you give me a hand?" Kemp asked, sounding embarrassed as he struggled to take off his soaked jacket.

Deeks did as he asked, also pulling off his boots, but leaving him to manage his socks and jeans by himself. When he took his own shirt off, he heard Kemp swear softly. He turned to see the man looking at the faint scars that still remained on his body.

"Is that a bullet wound?" He asked quietly.

"Yeah. I got a couple of 'em," Deeks replied, turning back to stare into the fire.

"What about those scars on your arms?"

"Leave it alone, Kemp," Deeks warned. "We aren't buddies and I'm not interested in sharing war stories."

"Did you try to kill yourself?" He asked in a hushed voice, apparently unwilling to let it go.

"You should get out of that wet shirt or you'll catch pneumonia," Deeks said, hoping to distract the man.

"My mom used to tell us kids that," he replied slowly, making Deeks look over at him. "She killed herself when I was thirteen."

"I'm sorry," Deeks offered, surprised the man had shared something so personal.

"So did you? Try suicide?" The man asked softly, pointing at the thin scars along the inside of his lower arms.

"No."

"You mean someone else did that to you?"

Deeks nodded. "I didn't shoot myself either. Now let it alone."

"You don't look military. A cop maybe?" Kemp asked, and then grinned. "Nah…You sure as hell don't look like a cop either."

"I'm a Federal agent," Deeks finally said.

"No shit?"

Deeks didn't reply. He huddled as close to the fire as he could, staring out at the rugged wilderness, and checking a sky that was crowded with dull grey clouds still not empty of snow. The roar of the creek was a constant reminder of what had happened, and it darkened Deeks' mood even more than the unwanted questions. Kemp finally managed to scoot up beside him by the fire, groaning whenever he coughed.

"You break a rib?" Deeks finally asked, hoping he hadn't.

"Cracked, I think," he said quietly.

Deeks couldn't seem to shake the chills, having given the only blanket to Purty Kemp. Their makeshift dugout under the cottonwood limb was slowly warming, but not fast enough, since they were both essentially naked except for waterlogged skivvies. The snow continued to fall, but at least the tree and the hillside protected them somewhat from the wind.

"You should unsaddle your mare," Kemp suggested. "Use her saddle blanket to get warm."

"Good idea," Deeks said, wishing he'd thought of that earlier. "She'll probably never let me forget it though."

"She's a damn horse," he spit out. "Man, you're weird."

Deeks quickly began to unsaddle Sheila, finally pulling it off her back, and slinging the saddle over the end of the downed limb. He turned back and took the saddle blanket, but couldn't resist leaning into the big mare's warm body, absorbing as much of her heat as he could, wrapping his arm around her neck. She turned her head and huffed out a puff of warm air over his back making him smile and appreciate the old girl. He slung the warm, but very smelly blanket across his shoulders and moved quickly back under the big limb, sitting down cross-legged in front of the now roaring fire. Kemp had hooked his wet shirt on the end of a broken branch and was holding it out toward the fire. Deeks quickly followed his lead. Both shirts were soon steaming, and Deeks couldn't wait until it was dry enough to put on, anticipating the warmth.

"That damn horse ran off with my lunch," Kemp finally said. "You bring any food with you? I'm hungry as hell."

"Sorry. Wasn't planning on being out this long."

"Well, keep an eye out. We might spot a jack rabbit or one of those damn grouse," Kemp said. "Either one would be real tasty right about now."

Deeks was hungry too, but the thought of killing and field dressing a wild animal or bird didn't really appeal to him at all. He could almost hear Sam laughing at him, but he thought Callen would understand. Kemp must have sensed his uneasiness, and snorted out a laugh.

"You don't have a clue how to live off the land, do you?" He said.

"Nope. But I know where to find the best food trucks in LA."

"City boy."

"Hey! I'm not the one who went swimming in the creek."

Purty Kemp grunted with a sheepish grin and then went silent for a moment. "Thanks for pulling me out."

"You're welcome."

"I owe you."

"Yeah, you do," Deeks grinned at him, but Purty just nodded and stared at the fire. He didn't seem to be particularly happy about what that might mean.

The snow began to let up, giving Deeks some hope, but it would still be a difficult ride out of here with an injured man, and he wasn't looking forward to it. Sheila probably wasn't either if she had an opinion at all.

"Who owns that spread where I found you and the Indian kid…Soldier?" Kemp asked.

"Elan Hand."

"How'd you come to know that big fuckin' Arapaho?"

Deeks slammed his hand into Purty Kemp's throat and squeezed down hard. "We're brothers, asshole. And unless you want to walk home, I suggest you remember that."

"Shit, man," he managed to say when Deeks let him go.

Deeks got up and slipped on his shirt, not caring that it was still damp. He wanted out of here and away from Purty Kemp. His jeans weren't even close to dry, but he put them on anyway. His socks, which he'd laid out on a couple of flat stones were almost completely dry. Sitting on the cottonwood limb with his back to the man, he put them on. He wasn't sure if he was trembling with anger or because he was cold again. He yanked his boots off the branches he'd stuck them on, and stepped into each one in turn. Kemp noisily cleared his throat and Deeks glanced over at him.

"My dad hates Indians," the man said. "Won't do business with any of 'em. Won't even take a case if Indians are involved."

"Yeah? Why's that?"

"Never said why. It's just the way he is," he replied. "None of us question him, that's for sure."

"Well maybe you should," Deeks said.

"You ain't met my dad," he said. "He about had a stroke when he heard Molly talkin' about meeting an Indian kid. He talks real quiet when he's mad. Not that Molly listens to him anyway. She's too wild for her own good. He sent me to scare the boy off."

"How old were you when Molly was born?" Deeks asked, not sure he wanted to know.

"Thirteen."

The math wasn't that difficult, but he didn't ask any of the questions his answer brought to mind. It could just be a coincidence that Purty's mother killed herself the same year Molly was born. There certainly was reason for suspicion though, considering the timing. He suddenly felt sorry for Molly. Maybe the Kemp's were one big happy family, but he doubted it.

"Elan Hand's related to those Atwood's over on Little Jack Creek, ain't he?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Think my dad tried to buy a cutting horse from George Atwood when I was just a kid," Kemp said. "But Atwood refused to sell him one. Pissed my dad off big time, 'specially when he found out he had Arapaho blood."

Deeks just shook his head in disgust and finished saddling Sheila. "You ready to go?"

Sheila suddenly tried to pull the reins free of the branch she was tied to, clearly spooked. She huffed and snorted, looking up the creek to a pocket of blue spruce fronted by low growing willows along the creek. Deeks tied Sheila's reins more tightly to the branch, afraid she might bolt and leave them stranded. He heard Kemp swear softly and turned to see him struggling to get his pants on.

"What the hell is it?" Deeks asked.

"Might be a bear," he replied in hushed tones. "Dammit! Help me on with my shirt."

There was pain on his face as he tried to get his arm through the sleeve. Kemp had managed to get on his feet, but hadn't gotten his boots on. He wasn't putting much weight on his left foot either, hobbling around with a wild look in his eyes, when Deeks got to him. He helped him with his shirt, and noticed the man was panting heavily as he fumbled with his buttons.

"You got a rifle with you, right?" Kemp asked, half bent over.

"Yeah."

"Get it before your mare breaks free."

"Sonofabitch," Deeks whispered as he rushed to grab the rifle out of the scabbard.

Sheila was trembling, her ears pricked forward as she stared upstream. A deep-throated growl echoed off the hills, the unearthly sound rolling downstream with the rushing water. It gave him the chills. Then he smelled a musky odor, and immediately cocked the rifle when he saw the distant willows thrash from side to side as something big and heavy moved through them.

"Get your horse over behind the fire and tie her up tight," Kemp ordered gruffly, and Deeks didn't argue, handing the rifle to the man.

Sheila was so skittish he thought he might not be able to hold on to her, but he spoke softly to her like George had taught him, and she seemed to calm down a little. She let him lead her past the fire, but she danced sideways, continuing to look upstream. He tied her tightly to the strongest branch he could find before hurrying back to help Kemp limp over and lean back against the sturdy trunk of the cottonwood.

"Please tell me you're a good shot," Purty Kemp huffed out, handing back the rifle.

"You think I'll have to shoot him?" Deeks asked. "Maybe he'll just wander off."

"Dammit, city boy. The bears are just coming out of hibernation. They're a helluva lot hungrier than we are."

"Awesome."

"It won't seem awesome if that bear decides you smell good enough to eat," he replied.

"Seriously?"

"Damn serious."

As if on cue a huge black bear broke from the willow bushes, his nose up, sniffing the wind. Deeks froze as he watched the animal amble toward them. He felt nothing but cold fear, an otherworldly fear he'd never felt before. There was something primeval about the bear. This was not the kind of predator he was used to. He couldn't talk this creature down from violence. It acted on pure instinct. No malice. Just survival.

"Time to go," Deeks said, his voice muted by the pounding of his own heartbeat in his ears.

Sheila suddenly snorted loudly, and he could see the whites of her eyes as she tried to pull free and run. Deeks hurried to help Kemp up on her back, but she wasn't making it easy, nervously moving from one foot to the other. When he was up, Deeks handed him the rifle and swung quickly up behind him.

"Take the rifle," Purty said with a groan. "You shoot. I'll steer."

The comment struck Deeks as funny, until the bear roared out a challenge behind them.

…

_I will be out of town this coming week, so I will not be posting the next chapter until the following week. Sorry to leave you hanging._

…


	3. Chapter 3

**Choices**

_Chapter 3_

…

A deep hollow bellow from the bear behind them was all it took to get Sheila moving. One back leg of the mare slid sideways as she scrambled over the loose scree along the creek, almost unseating Deeks as he turned to look back. The bear rose up on its hind legs and then slammed back down on its front paws, roaring out another challenge. Its pink mouth yawned wide open, showing teeth that made him think of the horror movies Kensi loved so much. He could almost picture the movie poster. _Killer Bear of the Sierra Madre_. Purty Kemp was swearing between groans and Deeks realized how tightly his arm was wrapped around the man's waist, crushing his cracked ribs. Sheila righted herself and leaped forward as he moved his hand down to get a grip on Kemp's belt. As they crashed through the low growing willows bordering the creek, Deeks took one last look behind him. Two small bear cubs peeked out behind their mother, and she turned her attention to them. Blowing out a relieved breath, Deeks smiled.

"It's a mama bear. She has babies," he shouted as Purty Kemp steered his mare around a series of jagged boulders.

"This ain't Disneyland, city boy," Purty huffed out. "A bear protecting her cubs is damn dangerous."

"Well they took her mind off us…so I'd say that's a good thing. Right?"

Purty didn't reply, hunching over the saddle horn as they made their way down the creek. Deeks slid the rifle back into the scabbard, grateful that he hadn't had to shoot the bear and leave her cubs motherless. Snow was falling heavily now, making the world around them gray and indistinct. He had no idea where they were, or how far they still had to go. His damp clothes no longer gave him any protection from the icy wind and he missed his hat, his hair still wet from his swim in the creek. Purty would curse every now and then, but he wasn't interested in talking, or telling him where they were going or how long it would take to get there. Deeks assumed he was heading for his ranch, but when he asked, the man only grunted. The creek became a series of tumbling rapids, and the trail, if you could call it that, turned steep and slippery with icy snow. Gnarled old willows choked the side of the hill making it difficult to pass by, their whip-like branches slashing at them in the bitter wind. Deeks worried the path they were on would end at some point, giving them no way out, and he wasn't sure Kemp was up to crossing the creek if they had to. Sheila slowed, picking her way down the rough track, and he was glad to have her.

"Gotta rest," Purty mumbled, and pulled back sharply on the reins before slumping dangerously to one side.

"Don't you pass out on me, man," Deeks said, wrapping an arm across his chest to hold him in the saddle. "If you fall off, I'm not sure I could get you back up."

"My head's hurting like a sonofabitch," he said. "Hell…everything hurts."

"Not surprising," Deeks replied as he eased the man back up against his chest. "But, you're a tough Wyoming cowboy, right? Would be kinda embarrassing if I had to tell everybody that you fell off your horse."

"You'd really enjoy the hell outa that, wouldn't you?"

"Oh, yeah," Deeks said honestly. "Now…you want to tell me where we're headed and how long until we get there?"

Kemp raised his head and stared down the creek for a few seconds before shaking his head. "Hell if I know. Can't see nothing in this blizzard."

"Not what I wanted to hear," Deeks said softly.

"This creek runs into a small lake somewhere down below," he said. "Just not sure how far that is. Never come to it this way."

"When we reach it, is your ranch house close by?" Deeks asked, his concern mounting.

"A couple of miles."

"Seriously?"

"Want some good news?" Kemp asked.

"No…Tell me something that'll ruin my day even more," Deeks snarked.

"We've got a small cabin by the lake," he replied, turning to look back at him with a smile.

"We? You mean it's on your land?" Deeks asked with surprise. "But you said your house was two miles from there."

"We own a lot of land," he said with a simple shrug, "Five thousand acres, give or take."

"Wow," Deeks replied, stunned by the size. "Hope there's a fireplace in this cabin of yours. And food. Maybe a hot shower?"

"All that," he replied. "Our family uses it during hunting season. Elk, moose, deer, and a helluva lot of pronghorn antelope. There's a horse barn, and feed for your mare."

"Awesome," Deeks said and gave Sheila a sharp nudge with his heels, making her grunt and blow out her breath.

The lower down the trail they got, the more the creek began to wind and turn back on itself. The mountains around them eventually began to soften into foothills, and the track they were on widened as did the creek. The snow had been heavy here. Deeks figured there was at least four inches or so on the ground, and Sheila was huffing and puffing from the weight she was carrying. She slogged through the drifts that had collected at the base of the crowding aspen trees that lined the track they were on, their new leaves straining to hold on against the wind like their lives depended on it. When the trail finally broke into the open, Deeks was just able to make out an oval plateau ahead. He couldn't tell how big it was or even see the lake that was supposed to be there. The whole thing just looked like a void in the middle of the steely gray and white blizzard that swirled around them.

"There," Purty said, pointing off toward a couple of dark forms in the distance.

"Let's go, Sheila, old girl," Deeks urged. "You've earned a rest and a nice bucket of oats."

"You always talk to your horse?" Purty asked.

"Don't you?"

"Its a horse," he replied with a snigger. "They don't know what the hell you're saying, or give a shit, for that matter."

"Maybe if you'd talked to your horse more, it wouldn't have run off and left you face down in the creek," Deeks said.

"Bullshit."

They both became silent after that. As they made their way out onto the open meadow, Deeks could just make out a mass of cottonwoods strung out along the now visible lake. Their heavy branches swayed slowly in the buffeting winds, reminding him of the trees in Lord of The Rings as they went into battle. The Ents, if he was remembering right. The odd thought made Deeks suddenly realize just how exhausted he was. The cold had sapped his strength and muddled his mind. He couldn't feel his toes, his fingers or his nose. He'd ceased shivering and he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. He couldn't imagine what they must look like. They were both covered in snow and hunched over against the icy pellets of snow slashing at them from seemingly all directions, including the ground. The further they went the farther away the cabin seemed to get and he worried he had altitude sickness, something George had warned him about when he first took him up into these mountains. Purty Kemp was growing heavier by the minute, and Deeks was beginning to think he had passed out. He reached around and took the reins and met no resistance.

"Dammit," he whispered.

He knew how tired Sheila must be, but he gave her a small kick anyway. They needed to get inside and out of this weather. He had no desire to tell Molly that her half-brother had frozen to death on his watch. His mare suddenly nickered and he looked up. Two buildings loomed out of the grayness and he heard a horse return Sheila's call. They had come upon the barn, and there was obviously someone in the cabin by the horse's presence, and the light in the windows. Maybe Soldier and Molly. He suddenly felt lighter as he urged Sheila past the sturdy looking log barn toward the large cabin just ahead. There was a wide porch along the front that was banked with snow, and he smelled wood smoke. The door suddenly swung open, and Soldier stepped out, bathed in a shaft of warm and welcome light. Deeks smiled and felt himself losing his grip on Purty.

"Purty's hurt," he said when the boy reached him, then slid off Sheila's rump and fell on his ass in the snow.

"Uncle Deeks," Soldier cried out, rushing to kneel beside him.

"I'm good. Help him," Deeks said, and struggled to get up.

Molly was suddenly beside him, helping him to stand. Purty looked as if he had regained consciousness, and was stumbling toward the open door with his arm around Soldier.

"Glad we found you," Deeks said as she guided him up the steps to the porch. "Wait. Sheila."

"Who?"

"My horse. She carried us a long way."

"I'll see to her," Soldier said as he came back out and stared at him for a few seconds.

He wasn't sure what he saw in his eyes, but the boy nodded to him before jumping off the porch and gathering up Sheila's reins. When Deeks stepped inside the cabin the heat from the fireplace made him feel as if he were melting. Molly had a worried look on her face, not anything like the flippant girl he'd met that morning. It made him wonder just how bad they both looked.

"You're frozen," she said, her eyes wide as she stared at her brother. "And…and why are you here?"

"Met Dalton on the trail. Said you'd gone off again," Purty said, managing to get one arm out of his coat. "Sent me to bring you home before the storm got too bad."

When she turned her eyes on him, Deeks saw a hint of rebellion and possibly fear. "It was snowing. You and Soldier weren't exactly dressed for it so I tried to follow you. I brought Soldier's coat and a blanket for you…"

He suddenly felt very tired and dropped into a large leather chair in front of the fire. He started to shiver uncontrollably and his fingers were tingling. He leaned toward the fire, water dripping from his hair onto a large brown and gray Navaho rug. He wanted to apologize, but no words would come. Even in the heated air of the cabin, his inner core still felt like ice. The warmth was almost painful. He looked down at his hands, and was surprised to see them shaking. He coughed, releasing a tightness in his chest as if he'd been holding his breath for a long time. He unwrapped the scarf from around his neck and wiped at his face, suddenly weak from the realization that they both might have frozen to death out there if they hadn't found this place. It shook him. He was a California boy after all. He felt Molly touch his shoulder and he saw kindness in her eyes when he looked up.

"Better get out of those wet clothes," she said gently. "You too, Purty."

"His elbow's broken and probably a couple of ribs," Deeks said as he forced himself to stand and begin to strip off his coat and shirt.

"What happened?" She asked, turning to help her brother.

"That damn gelding of mine spooked and threw me in the creek," Purty spit out. "City boy here, saved my ass."

"You forgot to mention he fell on top of you," Deeks said.

"I'm gettin' a new horse," Purty said, mumbling a few swear words under his breath.

"I'll go find some dry clothes. Collingwood's stuff should fit Deeks," she said quietly, dragging a red blanket off the back of the couch and draping it over Deeks' shoulders.

"Get us a glass of brandy first," Purty ordered. "We sure as hell could use one."

Deeks had never been offered brandy in Wyoming. Most of the bars Joe took him to didn't even carry it. They had lots of beer, multiple brands of whiskey and even scotch, but brandy was scarce. He began to scan the room. It was almost as big as the front room and kitchen combined at the ranch. The fireplace was made out of smooth river rock and the walls were shellacked logs, the spaces between filled with white plaster. Old, yellowing maps of the area were framed and hung on either side of the fireplace. All of the furniture was dark leather, but had modern lines. Molly stood at a large, unfinished pine sideboard, the top covered in bottles of whiskey, scotch and several decanters of brandy and what looked like sherry. The glasses were cut crystal. A huge painting of a man shooting a dying elk against a backdrop of dark pines hung above it. The Kemp family sure as hell peaked his interest.

Soldier came in the front door, practically blown in with a swirl of snow. He stomped the snow off his boots and unwrapped a wool scarf from his neck and hung it on hooks made out of a couple of antelope horns by the door. Deeks was pretty sure Soldier had been here before, which made him sad to know the boy had lied to him about how often he'd seen Molly since they first met.

"You followed me," Soldier said bluntly, his anger suddenly back.

"It was starting to snow…" he replied, wondering why he was on the defensive.

"Show some gratitude, kid," Purty snapped, surprising Deeks. "He didn't have to go out in this shit to find you, but he did."

The man had finally managed to get his coat and shirt off and Molly almost dropped the glass of brandy she'd brought him.

"Oh my god, Purty," she said.

His elbow was a swollen mess and matched the purple and red bruising along his left side. His face was bruised as well and the cut on his forehead was once again oozing blood.

"What happened, Uncle Deeks?" Soldier asked, now looking over at him with concern.

"To make a long story short. He fell off his horse, and his horse came down on top of him," Deeks said. "Unfortunately, it was in a creek."

"Purty said your uncle saved his life," Molly said, handing Deeks a cut crystal glass half full of brandy.

Soldier's expression softened and he smiled. "He's good at that."

"You some kinda angel of mercy, city boy?" Purty snorted in derision. "Going around the country doing good deeds for your fellow man?"

"Yeah…he is," Soldier said sharply. "He saved my Uncle Joe and…"

"Let it go, Soldier," Deeks said, reaching out to grip his shoulder. "He's hurting."

Purty Kemp glared at him, not willing to admit how bad off he was.

"Any pain meds here, Molly?" Deeks asked, taking the last swallow of his drink. "Your smart ass brother looks like he could use some."

"I'll be fine," Purty grumbled, downing his brandy in one gulp.

"I hear you're supposed to savor a good brandy," Deeks said with a grin.

"Shut up and give me a hand, city boy," Purty asked. "A hot shower will feel pretty damn good right about now."

"Wait. That sounded like a very disturbing invitation," Deeks said with a smirk.

"Is he always an annoying pain in the ass?" Purty asked Soldier.

"Not all the time," Soldier replied. "But Papa told me stories."

"Those are family secrets," Deeks warned with a quick smile.

"Everybody's got those," Purty said as he pushed himself to his feet. "Now, you gonna help or not, Deeks?"

It was the first time the man had used his name and he grinned at him as he walked over to give him a shoulder to hold on to. The cabin was bigger than was visible from the outside. As they turned a corner, and moved slowly along a wide hallway, they passed a couple of bedrooms. Even though the only light came from windows, Deeks could see they were not the least bit rustic. The wall on their right was all glass, and looked out on a courtyard with an ornate stone fountain filling up with snow at its center. There was a small tree in each corner and outdoor furniture between, the snow covering the seats like fleece blankets. The cabin wrapped all the way around it. He could see what he assumed were additional bedrooms on the other side and a sliding entrance door at the end.

"Molly's mom likes to sit out there," Purty mentioned as they passed. "She doesn't like to watch us hunt. A real animal lover, that one. Hates guns too. Don't know why the hell she married into a Wyoming family. Dad shoulda told her everybody out here hunts and everybody has guns."

"Where did she grow up?" Deeks asked as they stopped in front of a huge bathroom.

"Paris. If you can believe that," Purty said, letting out one of his patented snorting laughs.

"She's French?"

"Half French. Speaks it too, especially when she's arguing with my dad," he replied. "Her father was an American diplomat or something. Her mom was French."

"Soldier can speak a little French," Deeks said.

"I ain't even gonna ask about that," he responded. "I'm dead tired, sore as hell, and I want a hot shower. Now all I need to happen is for you to leave."

"Copy that."

Deeks turned away as he closed the door, stopping to stare out at the intimate little courtyard. There was a sadness about it. It looked so isolated, a solitary place to wait out the killing going on outside. He wondered if Soldier had told Molly he spoke French and had spent time in both Paris and Normandy. It would be quite an interesting connection. He headed back toward the fire, feeling chilled again. As he pulled the red blanket tightly around himself, he almost ran into Molly coming out of the first bedroom.

"Sorry. This should fit you," She said, blushing slightly as she handed him a soft, dark blue flannel shirt with snap buttons and suede elbow patches.

"Thanks," he said, discarding the red blanket and slipping the shirt on, grateful for its warmth.

"Guessing from the number of bedrooms here, you have quite a big family," Deeks said, following her back into the front room.

She didn't say anything, just plopped down on the couch in front of the fire next to Soldier. The boy wouldn't look at him, and Deeks figured he realized he'd been caught in a lie.

"I heard your uncle tell Purty you speak French," Molly said, a teasing note in her voice. "Moi aussi."

"You do?" Soldier's face broke into a huge smile and Deeks did too.

"Oui. My mother's half French," she said, obviously pleased by his reaction. "She lived in Paris until she met Sheffield Kemp and married him. She hates it here, except for the horses."

"But you don't hate it here, do you?" Soldier asked.

"No…but I understand why she does sometimes," she replied. "We're the only women in a house full of men."

Her comment seemed like something an adult would say, not a thirteen-year-old girl.

"How many brothers do you have, Molly?" Deeks asked, backing up as close to the fire as he could.

"Too damn many for me, and they all have these stupid names." she said, back to sounding like a kid.

"Really?"

"They were given the last names of one of their mother's ancestors," she replied. "Weird, don't you think?"

"How weird?" Deeks grinned. "Like Dunkledorff? Or Doodlesquat?"

Her laugh was full throated and honest, ending in a giggle as she covered her mouth.

"I wish. Now they don't seem so weird," she said. "Purty was her second great grandmother's maiden name. The oldest is named Collingwood, after her fourth great grandmother. We call him Colly, which he hates. Says it makes him sound like a dog. Masefield was named for her third great grandmother, and we call him Mase, which he prefers. Says it sounds manlier. Then comes Dalton. He's a real ass…sorry…but he is. Can't remember who he's named for and don't care."

"Wow. Those are a mouthful," Deeks said.

"Okay, your turn," she said.

"Only child," Deeks replied.

"Then why does Soldier call you uncle?"

"That's a very long story I'm too tired to tell right now," Deeks said gently. "I have a question about your name though. Nothing weird about the name Molly. How'd that happen?"

"Her given name is Raynesford," Purty said as he entered wearing a bathrobe. "Dad insisted Alison name her after one of my mother's ancestors. Lots of French flyin' around that night."

"Molly's my middle name," she looked defiant when she said it. "Only my dad and Collingwood call me that stupid name."

"Not that she answers to it," Purty said as he sat down by the fire. "I try calling her Raynie just to irritate her once in a while, but she just ignores me and does whatever the hell she wants."

Deeks detected a note of fondness in his voice, and saw that Molly was grinning. He thought the two were closer than either one of them wanted to admit.

"I hear that hot shower calling, but first," Deeks said. "Soldier…did you call your father? I'm sure he's worried."

"No service up here," Purty said. "I've always liked that about this place until now."

"Not even a satellite phone for emergencies?"

"Collingwood usually brings one when we come up to hunt," he replied, his voice tinged with pain that he was trying very hard to hide.

"I'm hoping there's a first aid kit at least," Deeks said. "We need to do something to immobilize that elbow of yours until we can get you to a hospital."

"I'll get it. And some of Mom's pain meds," Molly said, shooting a worried look at her brother as she hurriedly rose from the couch and went through the kitchen.

"Take your shower first, Deeks," Purty said. "Your hands are shaking, so I know you're still pretty damn cold."

"I'll make it fast."

"And I'll have another brandy."

"That doesn't mix well with pain medication," Deeks warned.

"You Florence Nightingale all of a sudden?" Purty snapped.

"He's trying to help you," Soldier said, his anger still there.

"Yeah, well…I didn't ask for it," the man snapped back.

Before Deeks could say anything, the sound of a snowmobile broke his train of thought, and it was closing fast.

"Sounds like the cavalry's here," Purty said, smiling and looking greatly relieved.

"Hope you're right," Deeks said. "Guess they missed you, Purty. No…wait…probably looking for Molly."

"Smart ass city boy."

Soldier stood up, but hesitated to go to the door. Deeks could tell he was nervous about meeting anymore of Molly's relatives, and he didn't blame him. Molly had heard it too, and hurried into the room, setting the first aid kit on the counter before rushing to the door. Someone pounded on it before she could open it, and Deeks shot a quick look at Purty, who pushed himself up from the chair.

"Family don't knock," he said.

"Molly, wait," Deeks warned, but she had already pulled the door open.

Two men carrying high powered hunting rifles with scopes stood in the doorway. They were dusted with snow, their beards frosted with it. Deeks cursed under his breath, angry that he'd left his rifle in the scabbard of his saddle. It had been the only weapon he'd brought with him.

"Who the hell are you two?" Purty growled. "This is private land and you're trespassing."

"Well, fuck you," the tallest one said and lifted the barrel of the rifle until it pointed at him.

"Everybody just calm down," Deeks said, putting his hands out to try and placate them both.

Soldier had moved to stand behind Molly, taking her arm and pulling her back toward Deeks. The second man saw that, and smiled.

"She's a cutie, ain't she, Bryce?"

"Shut up, Harley," Bryce said. "We ain't here for that."

"What are you here for?" Deeks asked as the other man raised his weapon and pointed it at him.

"Case you ain't noticed, it's snowin' a fuckin' blizzard out there," Harley said.

"We got caught out in it huntin' elk," Bryce said, as both of them moved inside and closed the door. "It got a little too nasty out there, and this place looked like a good place to wait it out. Didn't expect nobody to be here."

"You're poachers," Purty said with disgust. "Ride on out the way you came and I won't turn you in to the game warden."

"You ain't real neighborly, are you?" Harley said, his voice cold and definitely not friendly.

"Which Kemp are you?" Bryce asked as his eyes roamed the room.

"I'm Purty Kemp, and the longer you stay here the more trouble you'll be in," he shot back.

"Some folks just don't know when to shut the fuck up," he replied. "Specially you Kemps. You got all this land all to yourselves. All the wildlife too. Think you own the damn world."

Deeks shot a look at Purty, begging him with his eyes not to escalate the situation. He nodded slightly and sat back down. These men knew exactly where they were, and had probably hunted here before. They were arrogant and showed no fear of reprisal, and that in itself put Deeks on alert. He wasn't sure he could talk them out of here, but he had to try. If that didn't work, and if he thought he had no other choice, he had to figure out a way to get one of their guns.

"We got us a buck and a cow," Harley bragged. "Easy pickins from a snowmobile. One drives and the other shoots."

"That's illegal…" Molly blurted out, but Soldier tugged at her arm before she said more.

"Sounds like you had a plan. Too bad you got caught in this weather," Deeks said easily, trying to cut the tension in the room. "I know it's cold as hell out there. We just got in ourselves. So, why don't you lower your weapons, and warm up by the fire."

"Didn't think it'd get this bad," Harley said, his rifle still pointed in his direction. "We was gonna take the ATV, but when we saw how heavy the weather was gettin'…well, you get it."

"You one of them Kemp's too?" Bryce asked, looking hard at Deeks as he sauntered over toward the bottles of liquor on the sideboard.

"No. Visiting from California," Deeks replied, watching one and then the other, a bad feeling settling into his gut.

"You one of them hippies?" Harley asked.

"No, just a surfer," Deeks replied.

"None of that around here," Harley said. "You're kinda like a fish outa water."

His laugh was self-congratulatory, and Deeks actually thought it was sort of clever himself. He'd been around men like them before, and his experience told him these two had a hair trigger and that anything might set them off. They obviously weren't afraid of using their real names, if those were in fact their names, and that worried him. He thought about telling them he was a Federal agent, but decided it just might get him and everyone else, killed. He felt his stomach knot as Bryce picked up a bottle of Wild Turkey and examined it. Things would only get worse if they started drinking. The man laughed to himself and looked over at Molly.

"Come over here and open this for me, little girl," he said, slouching against the table.

"Open it yourself," Soldier said firmly.

"Soldier," Deeks said quickly, and moved toward the man. "I'll do it."

"You take another step and I might just forget my manners like that fuckin' Indian kid just did," the man said, leveling the rifle at his chest.

Molly walked around Soldier, looking up at Deeks as she passed him. He could see both strength and fear in her eyes, and he decided he really liked this girl. She took the bottle from Bryce's hand and twisted the cap off, tossing it on the table before she shoved the bottle back into his outstretched hand.

"Don't choke on it," she said flippantly, and turned away.

"Stop right there you little shit," Bryce said, placing the barrel of the rifle on her shoulder.

Soldier instantly made a move towards them. Before Deeks could say anything to stop him, Harley swung the butt of his rifle into the boy's ribs, doubling him over. Molly yelled out his name as he dropped to his knees. She ignored Bryce and his rifle and rushed to help Soldier as he groaned on the floor. Deeks was enraged and started for Harley just as Purty did the same towards Bryce. Harley fired a round into the ceiling and yelled.

"Don't try it, or I'll shoot you both."

Deeks was seething, but he believed him and stopped. Purty halted as well, and Bryce laughed. "We got us a couple of amateurs here, Harley."

"Unarmed amateurs," he snorted. "You cover 'em while I take a closer look at this little girl here."

He grabbed Molly's arm and yanked her to her feet, but his rifle was now pointed at the floor. Soldier moved so smoothly and fast that it surprised Harley and Deeks as well. The boy grabbed the barrel of the gun and twisted it up toward the ceiling and shoved the man up against the door. Bryce swore and swung his rifle toward the boy and Deeks jumped him. The man still held the bottle of bourbon in his left hand, dropping it when Deeks grabbed his rifle with both hands. Ripping it away from the man, he brought the stock up and slammed it into his jaw, knocking to the floor. He quickly turned and fired a round into the door above Harley's head as he struggled with Soldier.

"Let go of the gun and step away, or I'll put the next one in your ear," Deeks shouted.

The man looked shocked, but he held on and smirked back at him. "Bet you ain't even fired a gun before."

"I'll take that bet. I'm a Federal agent. Knowing how to shoot a gun is kind of a requirement," he said quietly and aimed the rifle directly at his head. "Move away from him, Soldier."

The boy limped back, and Molly wrapped an arm around him. Harley looked over at his partner, who was now propped up on one elbow spitting out blood and a couple of teeth.

"You have one second to drop your weapon," Deeks warned. "I won't ask again."

The rifle clattered to the floor, and the man instinctively raised his hands. Deeks nodded at Soldier, and the boy picked up the weapon and moved back toward the fire, keeping Molly behind him. When Deeks glanced quickly over at Bryce, Purty was standing by an open cabinet in the corner holding a hunting rifle, his eyes never leaving the man on the floor.

"Shoulda shot the bastards, Deeks," he said.

"Still might if they don't cooperate," Deeks replied. "Turn around Harley, and assume the position. I'm sure you're familiar with it."

"We can lock 'em in the storage room in the barn," Purty said, motioning for Bryce to get up. "Come on boys. Time to freeze your asses off for being assholes."

By the time they had the men tied up and locked in the barn, the winds had died down and the snow had stopped. Deeks could see the lake now, it's edges softened by cottonwoods and willows. It was beautiful. Molly was checking out the snowmobile and called out as she held up a satellite phone. In the distance he heard the odd bugle call of an elk, and he caught Soldier looking at him. He was smiling.

…

…


	4. Chapter 4

**Choices**

_Chapter 4_

…

The snow squeaked under his boots as he made his way to the porch behind Soldier. The boy had his arm wrapped around his ribs, and Deeks reached out and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"You okay?" He asked as the boy turned to face him.

"I was scared, Uncle Deeks."

"Me too."

"And mad," he said, looking down at his feet.

"Yeah… Me too," Deeks said again. "You took quite a risk going after Harley like that, but I'm glad you did. It was impressive."

"Really?"

"Your dad will be proud," Deeks said. "But he'll probably want to kick my ass. How much did you tell him when you called?"

"Enough to get him yelling in Arapaho," Soldier said, grinning shyly up at him. "He wasn't too happy with me when he found out where we were."

"Better here than freezing to death out in that blizzard," Deeks said. "It'll be dark in a couple of hours. Hope Purty's cavalry gets here soon."

"Papa told me he wasn't sure Kemp would let him on the property," Soldier said.

"Why the hell not?"

"He said it was a story for another time," he replied. "I could hear Kensi in the background. She was already on the phone to the Chief of Police."

"That's my beautiful ninja wifey," Deeks said proudly, smiling as he followed Soldier into the cabin.

Once again he wished she'd been with him, the fear he'd felt for Soldier and Molly resurfacing as he recalled the fight. The whole thing could have gone sideways very easily. Soldier had surprised him by taking on Harley, giving him the opening he needed to take out Bryce. He'd forced the issue, but if he hadn't it was quite possible that none of them would have survived. Deeks paused at the thought, realizing just how lucky they'd all been. Purty had been unable to help, or had just been too surprised to act. Now he was back in the leather chair by the waning fire, which had settled into a pulsing glow of embers and small, flickering, blue and orange flames. The satellite phone was pressed against his chest and his eyes were closed.

"Guess I really owe you now, city boy," he said, without opening his eyes. "For a while there, those assholes had me thinking about all the things I would never get to do."

"Like what?"

"Finding a hot chick who'd put up with me," he said softly. "Winning a gold buckle in bull riding at the State Fair, seeing what all the hoopla is about California…maybe seeing some girls in bikinis. Stuff like that."

"I could help you with that last wish," Deeks said, grinning at him. "But, not with that first one. I'm not a miracle worker."

"You are a lifesaver, though," Purty said, finally opening his eyes to stare at him.

"I just did what I'm trained to do," Deeks replied, feeling uncomfortable with the sentiment.

"Is Soldier trained, too?" He asked. "Caused he moved like it."

"I think his dad, Elan, has been working with him," Deeks replied, looking over at the boy as he and Molly talked softly to one another in the kitchen.

"Yeah. That big Arapaho is something. Saw him take down a guy at a rodeo once," Purty said. "Guy never knew what hit 'em. Backed his buddies right off."

"What was it about?"

"The guy and his buddies were harassin' a young Indian girl," he replied. "He told 'em to stop, and when they didn't, he grabbed Corky by the neck and shoved his head into the side of a horse trailer."

"Were you one of the buddies?" Deeks asked as he threw a couple of more logs on the fire.

"I was a teenager, but I wasn't stupid enough to try anything after that."

"Good idea," Deeks said. "He was an Army Ranger."

"That explains it," Purty said, holding the satellite phone out to him. "My father and Dalton are on their way. You need to talk to anyone?"

"Thanks. Probably should tell my wife I'm good," he replied, taking the phone.

"How long you been married?"

"A little over three months," he said, unable to keep from smiling. "We're on our honeymoon. Or I should say…our pre-honeymoon."

"Was she one of those bikini girls?" Purty asked with a smirk.

"No..no…we met at an MMA gym."

"No shit?"

"She's a Federal agent too," Deeks replied. "And she's my partner."

The sound of an approaching helicopter distracted Purty, and Deeks let out a sigh of relief. It would be good to get back to the ranch, and to hug his wife. The thought made him smile inwardly. He was ready to go on his real honeymoon, alone with the woman he loved, in a place with lots of sunny days, white sand, and deep aquamarine water that stretched all the way to the horizon.

"You comin'?" Purty asked as he pushed himself to his feet.

He nodded as the man moved slowly to follow Molly out the door. Soldier hung back, looking over at Deeks with sad eyes. He hated seeing that look of uncertainty on the kid's face. It made him mad.

"Maybe things will change now," Deeks said, trying to lift his spirits.

"I hope so," Soldier replied, as the sound of the helicopter got louder. "I really like her, Uncle Deeks."

"I do too," he said, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "She's cute and she's tough. Reminds me a little of Kensi."

"I just wish her family would like me," he said softly, tearing at Deeks' heart.

He wanted to assure the boy, but until he met the Kemps he couldn't. Through the open door they could see a sleek black helo with red striping coming in low over the lake, skimming just above the tops of the cottonwoods. It looked like the ones the LAPD flew, and he wondered if it was the police coming instead of the Kemps. The rotors beat out a loud whomping sound as it gently set down, the snow whipped into a frenzy like the blizzard they'd just survived. When the engine shut down and the snow began to sift back down to the ground, Deeks noticed a distinctive logo on the side. The background was yellow with the silhouette of a black wolf racing across the top of bold, capital red letters that spelled out Kemp. Deeks thought it was a hell of a way to make an entrance, and one he thought was a common one for this family. Nothing subtle about any of it.

The rear compartment door opened, and a dark haired man with a neatly trimmed beard jump down into the snow. He was wearing a black Stetson, dark blue jeans, and a white shirt under a red ski parka. He stepped aside to allow the man behind him to get out. He was tall and his hair was steel grey. His square jawline was clean-shaven, and his stance was ramrod straight, almost military. Dark eyes took in everything, and they were sharp, like flecks of obsidian Jim Littleshield had once showed him. He was hatless and dressed in a maroon sweater and black ski pants that were tucked into laced up hiking boots. There was no doubt who was in charge. The two men both stood still for a moment, scanning the scene as if trying to come to some decision. Neither smiled. There was a coldness about the older man that matched the freezing temperature, and it surprised Deeks. He looked like a man who was pissed that he'd been interrupted and taken away from something more important, instead of a man who's two children had just called to tell him they'd been threatened by men with guns. Purty hesitated, and Molly turned back to look at Soldier, and then up at him. She looked embarrassed.

"It's my dad and Dalton," she said, as the two men slogged a few steps through the crusty snow, before stopping when someone called to them from the helicopter.

As the Kemps turned to look back, another form appeared behind them. A woman scooted out of the helo, her long, strawberry blond hair blown wild by the wind, along with a pink scarf wrapped in several layers around her throat. She wore a bulky white sweater and pale blue jeans tucked into stylish, honey-colored boots that came up almost to her knees. Deeks was struck by the thought that she didn't look to be much older than he was.

"Mom!" Molly rushed down the steps to greet her.

As Molly passed her father, the man reached out and took her arm to stop her. She stared up at him with a little anger and a touch of fear.

"Sheff. Please," Molly's mother pleaded from behind him. "She's been through a frightening ordeal."

"Did either one of these two hurt you?" The man asked Molly, pulling her close, but with his eyes on Deeks and Soldier.

"The men who tried are locked up in the barn," she said tightly. "Ask Purty."

She pulled her arm free and went to her mother, who ran a shaking hand through Molly's short hair before wrapping her arms around her. Sheffield Kemp watched briefly before turning his attention to Purty, who was talking quietly with his brother.

"You look like hell," Kemp said as more of an observation than with any concern.

"Said his horse spooked and fell on him," Dalton reported. "He claims that hippie over there saved his life. Pulled him out of the creek."

"Were you doing something stupid?" His father asked. "Horses don't spook for no reason."

"He flushed some grouse," Deeks said from the porch. "Flew right up under his horse."

"You got a name?"

"Doesn't everyone?" Deeks replied, flashing a hopeful grin even though his joke froze in midair.

"Don't smart talk me young man," Sheffield snapped.

"Sorry. Old habit. I'm Marty Deeks," his words spoken with caution as he watched the man's expression harden.

"You and that Indian kid are trespassing on my property. I can have you both arrested."

"Yeah…don't think that would hold up in court, Mr. Kemp," Deeks said, trying to hold his temper in check. "We were both invited here by members of your own family. I'd hardly call that trespassing."

"I'm a respected attorney with powerful friends," he said, standing even taller, if that was possible. "I can make a charge stick if I choose to do so."

"Then you should choose not to," Deeks replied, his anger flaring. "I'm a lawyer and a Federal agent. Purty was unconscious when I pulled him out of that creek and managed to bring him here. He's badly injured, by the way. And Soldier, this so-called Indian kid, helped me take out two armed men in your cabin who were poaching game on your property, and who I'm pretty sure didn't intend to leave witnesses to what they were about to do. If you want to pursue a trespassing charge against me, give it a try. But if I were you, I'd concentrate on putting good old Harley and Bryce in jail for endangering two minors, and threatening your son and a Federal agent with assault weapons."

"You're not me," the man said stonily, but looked over to assess Purty. "Is what he said true, son? Are you injured?"

"Think my elbow's broken, sir…maybe a rib or two," he replied. "Nothing I can't handle."

"You always were a whiner, Purty," Dalton said. "And I doubt those two poachers were all that scary."

Purty turned to glare daggers at Dalton. "What the fuck do you know? You were home, probably with your damn feet up…drinkin'. One of those bastards grabbed Molly, while the other one held a big ass rifle on me and Deeks. Soldier charged an armed man to protect her. Deeks took the rifle away from the other one and knocked his teeth out, then fired a shot right over the head of the asshole fighting Soldier. You should be thanking them both instead of threatening to send them to jail."

Sheffield stared at his son for a long time, his eyes narrowing, before looking over at Deeks and Soldier, who remained on the porch. He made no effort to acknowledge what Purty had just recounted, but Deeks saw his expression soften slightly.

"Dalton? Get Purty, Molly, and Alison in the copter," he ordered, and called to the man in the front passenger seat. "Beecher? You're staying. Wait with those two for the authorities. They'll be along shortly."

"Why can't they come with us, Daddy?" Molly asked. "There's room."

"This is for family only. The police will want statements and an accounting of what happened here," he replied. "Beecher will see to the mess and assess any damage or missing items. He'll let the officers know where we are. They can come to the hospital if they need to interview you and Purty."

He made no attempt to thank Deeks or Soldier, but Mrs. Kemp looked sharply at him before walking toward them with a steely determination. She held her hand out as she climbed the two steps up onto the porch, clasping Deeks' hand in both of hers, her eyes bright with unshed tears.

"How can I ever thank you?" She said, and reached over to caress Soldier's cheek, looking calmly at him. "You were a brave young man, Soldier. Molly is everything to me, and I know she likes you very much. Thank you for fighting for her. That took courage."

"I couldn't let them hurt her, Mrs. Kemp," Soldier replied shyly. "She's my friend."

"Please…call me Alison," she replied, pleading with them as she stared up at Deeks. "It's rare to hear Purty defend someone. You must have impressed him."

"I'm sure he'll get over it," Deeks replied with a quick grin.

"Well I won't," she said. "Je te rembourserai. That's French for…"

"I will repay you," Soldier translated, causing her to smile.

"Vous parlez Français," she said jauntily.

"Oui. Seulement un peu, Madame."

"Did you learn it in school?" She asked.

"No. From friends in Normandy," Soldier replied.

"You have been to France? How wonderful," she said. "But you wouldn't have gone alone. Did you take him there, Mr. Deeks?"

"That would be his father, Elan Hand," Deeks replied. "And don't try to speak French with him. He only knows a few words and those shouldn't be spoken in polite company."

"I'm intrigued," she said and laughed softly.

"Alison? I'm waiting," Sheffield Kemp called out as the helo slowly began to rev up.

"Please forgive my husband," she said, her smile gone. "He's a hard and very proud man."

With that she turned and stoically walked back toward the helicopter. When she was inside, it quickly lifted off, leaving a man standing alone with a shoulder holster strapped across his chest. He wore sunglasses, a black watch cap that matched his clothing, and carried a heavy plaid jacket under his arm, as if the cold didn't bother him.

"Real friendly family," Deeks murmured as they watched the helo bank right, and fly out over the lake and head down toward the valley.

Deeks decided not to wait for the man to approach, turning instead to go back inside. He was cold, even if Kemp's security man wasn't.

"Hold on," Beecher said, tromping heavily up the two steps. "Mr. Kemp wants me to check the place over, and he told me not to let either one of you back inside."

"Well, Mr. Beecher, we're not staying out here in this freezing weather, if that's what you're suggesting," Deeks said. "I've worked crime scenes. I know what not to touch or disturb. We'll stay by the fire."

"Okay. You can go in, but the kid stays out," Beecher said, his pale blue eyes hard as ice.

"Seriously?" Deeks felt his face flush with anger. "And why's that?"

"Just following orders," he replied.

"Like a good little neo-Nazi?"

"Fuck you. I'm just doing my job. What Mr. Kemp says, goes, so that Indian ain't going inside," the man said, his hand inching up toward the grip of the semi-automatic Glock pistol under his arm.

"Yes…he is," Deeks countered. "From what Mr. Kemp said, the cops are on the way. You'll have to explain to them, not to mention my boss at NCIS…why you shot an unarmed Federal agent. They'll probably also want to know if you were given the go ahead to do so by your employer. And in case you're not aware, that would make Mr. Kemp an accessory to a Federal crime, or murder, if you happen to kill me. And if that happens, then you'll become acquainted with my team at NCIS, and my wife, a kickass Federal agent with mad sniper skills and a real nasty temper. Oh…and did I mention? We're newlyweds and she loves me very much."

Deeks didn't wait for him to say anything, just pushed the door open, and guided Soldier inside. He was actually hoping the man would try to stop him. It would give him an excuse to vent some of his anger by punching the prick in the mouth. Soldier was grinning at him, and that softened his irritation with the entire situation. It took Beecher a moment of reflection before he followed them in. While Deeks and Soldier warmed themselves in front of the fire, the man walked through the room. He was attentive and careful, and Deeks realized he knew his way around a crime scene. He took his time, finally pausing in front of the poachers' rifles Deeks had collected and leaned against the gun cabinet.

"Pretty expensive hardware," the man said. "Ambush 300 Blackouts. Semi-automatic with Nikon scopes. Serious stuff. Overkill, if you ask me."

"You would know," Deeks replied.

Beecher looked over at him, his nostrils flaring at the snide comment. Deeks heard him mutter a curse word before turning back to take in the broken whiskey bottle on the floor. He continued his commentary as if the two of them were interested in his expert opinion, which Deeks wasn't.

"Didn't see any fresh carcasses on the flight in. Saw the snowmobile outside. The game warden will be in a huff about that if they were firing on game from the back of one of those, not to mention it being out of season. Must have been planning to come back after the storm to dress out their kills. If anything was left after predators found them."

"They were the predators," Deeks said. "Not sure what they had in mind when they found us all here, but I know it wasn't good."

"Most poachers don't kill people," Beecher noted.

"Maybe they're not just poachers," Deeks said. "Maybe they had another agenda."

"Feds always think there's another agenda," he replied. "Maybe these guys were just stupid, bumbling around out here having fun. Maybe you misread the situation. Escalated it."

"And why would I do that?" Deeks snapped. "I had an injured man, and two teenagers here."

"Did you panic?"

"Now, you're just trying to piss me off," Deeks said quietly.

"Well, did you?"

"No, Beecher, I did not," he replied, holding onto his anger as tightly as he could. "I was LAPD before becoming an NCIS agent. I know a threat when it's right in front of me, especially when I'm looking down the muzzle of a semi-automatic weapon."

"LAPD? You?" The man asked, starting to smile.

"Yeah, me. Made detective and everything," Deeks shot back. "Undercover mostly."

"I could see that," Beecher said with a nod. "You know…with the hair and all."

"What police department were you with?"

The man looked surprised he'd made him for an ex-cop. "Denver. Homicide detective. But hey, Kemp pays more."

"That wouldn't be hard," Deeks said. "How'd you score the job?"

"You don't need to know that," he replied, and Deeks knew it was something he wasn't proud of.

"Fair enough," Deeks allowed. "What should I know?"

The man looked over at Soldier and then back to Deeks. "Not that I care what the hell you think, but I'm not a neo-Nazi. But…Sheffield Kemp? Let's just say I wouldn't be surprised. All I do know is…he specifically hates Indians. Passionately. He actually prides himself on it. The rest of them have been soaking in that hatred probably since the day they were born. So, you should know that what this kid did here today…won't change that old man one fucking whisker."

"I'm gonna go check on the horses," Soldier said, and walked purposely toward the door.

"Soldier…"

"I understand them a whole lot better than I do people," he said as he walked outside and closed the door gently behind him.

"You should try and keep that kid away from Molly Kemp if you can," Beecher warned.

"One more threat to top off the day," Deeks said, growing weary of listening to them.

"It's good advice. Not a threat," the ex-cop replied. "Kemp is a control freak, and a very rich and powerful attorney. What he wants he usually gets. He's lethal when things don't go his way, so be careful."

"Are you saying he'd physically hurt the boy if he doesn't back off?"

"There are all sorts of ways to hurt a kid like that that isn't physical," he replied.

"Soldier has been hurt enough in his life," Deeks said, taking two long strides that put him within striking distance of the man. "Don't underestimate me or his family, especially his father, Elan Hand. Every single one of us would take a bullet for that kid, and you don't want to mess with Elan. Believe me."

"I'm just saying…watch your back. All of you," Beecher said. "If he comes at you, you might not see it coming."

"And if I do see you coming, I won't hesitate to protect Soldier or his family."

"Understood."

"Make sure your employer does too," Deeks said.

"Oh, he'll hear about it," the man replied. "He pays me well for my intel."

Deeks was left with a foul taste in his mouth when Beecher smiled at him and headed for the door. He wasn't sure if what he'd said had been an honest warning, or another veiled threat. Probably a little of both. Either way he couldn't wait to get himself and Soldier out of here.

"Sounds like our local country lawmen have arrived," Beecher said to the growing sound of approaching vehicles. "Let's go see who they sent out. Saratoga cops don't have jurisdiction this far out, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Chief of Police shows up in spite of that. Kemp contributed to his last campaign. Doubt the County Sheriff could have made it down here so soon from Rawlins in this weather, but he's up for reelection and needs money, so if he's got an officer in the vicinity he'll be coming for sure. That leaves local Game Warden, Henry Tarver. He does have jurisdiction, since these yahoos were poaching. And Henry hates poachers."

Deeks wished the man would just shut up. He no longer cared about the two poachers. The only thing he wanted was to get Soldier home, and to wrap his arms around his wife. Kensi was the only one he hoped to see as he walked back out on the porch.

Four vehicles were slowly making their way toward the cabin in the dying light. A green Ford pickup led the way over what appeared to be a rough two track road that skirted the edge of the lake. The man driving wore a bright red shirt that stood out in the dull gray light. Behind him Deeks recognized Joe's four-wheel drive SUV. As soon as they pulled up to the cabin, Elan was out and rushing toward the cabin, followed by Kensi. Just seeing her made him feel warm and safe.

"Where's Soldier?" Elan asked, his eyes dark and intense.

"He's in the barn," Deeks said, taking his arm to try and calm him. "Elan…he's okay."

Elan dropped his head and took a deep breath. When he looked up, Deeks saw the film of fear fade from his eyes before he was wrapped in a powerful hug.

"I'm glad you were with him," Elan whispered.

"Elan?" Kensi said, pointing toward the low log barn.

Soldier had walked out of barn leading three horses, his dark hair blowing across his face when he looked up to see his father. He raised his hand and Elan jumped from the porch and slogged through the snow to reach him.

Kensi stepped in front of Deeks and put both her hands on his chest, looking steadily into his eyes. "Hey, baby. Are you okay?"

"I am now, Mrs. Deeks," he breathed out, smiling down at her. "I am now."

…

…


	5. Chapter 5

**Choices**

_Chapter 5_

…

Joe Atwood was mumbling curses as he came up to Deeks and Kensi. It wasn't hard to tell he was pissed. Joe never could keep his true feelings off his face when it came to anything that affected his family. He stopped in front of the two of them and hung his head in disgust as the argument behind him grew heated. The Chief of Police of Saratoga looked as if he was ready to punch the deputy sheriff, who's demanding voice ricocheted off the walls of the cabin, adding to Deeks' eagerness to leave as soon as possible. The only person seeming to enjoy their jurisdictional argument was the game warden. The man, whose name, if Deeks remembered right, was Henry…something. He looked to be slightly older, and somewhat shorter than Joe, but with a few extra pounds, mostly muscle. There was a sense of inner strength about him, and he carried himself with confidence. His gray Stetson was clamped down tight over sandy hair that curled around his collar. He had a weathered face with laugh lines around hazel eyes that remained sharp even as he smiled. Deeks had a feeling not much got past the guy. The game warden shook his head and shot a bemused look at Joe before finally putting a hand on each officer's shoulder and reminded them that they were professionals and that they should act like it.

"Why don't we all get inside out of the cold and interview the people involved," he said. "Airing your differences in front of witnesses, especially Beecher over there, probably isn't very smart. Kemp's got enough money to go around for both of you."

"You wouldn't be implying something improper, would you Henry?" The deputy sheriff asked, looking furious as he turned on the man. "Because I don't need your particular kind of shit today."

"I was talking about campaign contributions, Deputy Roland," Henry said, keeping his voice reasonable. "Everybody knows you're running for sheriff against your boss."

"I've got jurisdiction here and Hartman knows that," Roland stated, puffing out his broad chest as if claiming his territory.

"We all know that, but Pete has arrested Bryce and Harley just like I have. We both can offer insight into what they might have been up to, other than poaching," Henry replied. "Come on, Jeff, cut Pete some slack. He's your brother-in-law."

"Don't remind me," Pete Hartman said.

Henry smiled as he turned to focus on Deeks. "You're the buddy Joe told me about. Good to finally meet you. Henry Tarver. I'm the game warden for this district."

"Marty Deeks. This is my wife, Kensi."

"Oh we all met Kensi," he said with a wide smile. "She pretty much put the fear of God in all of us from the beginning. Joe warned us she's not a bad shot either. Not quite sure how he meant that, but she wasn't shy about showing off her firearms."

"You weren't moving fast enough," Kensi said.

"Threatening an officer of the law is a crime, isn't it Sheriff?" Beecher chimed in, his face breaking into a smart-ass grin that had Kensi tensing up beside him.

"He's not Sheriff yet, Beecher," Henry Tarver said, his tone giving Deeks the impression he wasn't a big fan of Kemp's security man. "And I don't recall a threat being made, just concern for her husband and the boy."

"Where's that Indian kid, anyway?" Deputy Roland asked. "Beecher said he was involved in all this."

"His name's Soldier," Deeks replied, once again feeling his anger stir as he looked back toward the barn.

The light was fading fast, and the temperature was dropping, reminding Deeks how cold he still felt. The heavy, low hanging clouds that had left him feeling claustrophobic when the snow had finally stopped, had risen and flattened out. They were surrounded by a world that was gray and white, the cottonwoods along the creek, starkly frozen skeletons, and the willows weeping with snow. Deeks noticed that Elan and Soldier had gone back in the barn, and he suddenly remembered what his big Arapaho cousin was capable of.

"We might want to head out to the barn for our little chat," Deeks said. "Leaving Elan with those two probably isn't a good idea after what they did to his son."

"Did they hurt him?" Kensi asked.

"Harley slammed a rifle butt into his ribs when he tried to help Molly," Deeks replied, jumping down off the porch.

All seven of them made their way through the snow toward the barn, with Deeks and Joe in the lead. Halfway there, the barn door opened and Bryce flew out and landed face first in a snow bank, his hands still tied behind his back. Harley followed, Elan shoving him outside and then kicking him in the ass. The man managed to let go a couple of choice swear words before he landed face down. A mouthful of snow muffled the rest of his comments. No one objected.

"You two yahoos just can't seem to stay out of trouble," Chief Hartman said, his hands on his hips as he stared down at them. "But, you upped the anti this time."

"We was just trying to get outa the blizzard," Harley finally said after spitting out a clot of snow.

"On private property," Beecher said.

"We got lost in a white out," Bryce said, glaring at Elan as he pulled him to his feet. "We didn't do nothin' bad…"

"Seriously?" Deeks asked. "You held us at gunpoint against our will, and you assaulted Soldier."

"They took down two elk out of season, too," Soldier said. "Shooting from a snowmobile."

"The fines for that are gonna set you back, men," Henry said. "You'll both lose your licenses, but you know that. You already got your elk late last year, Bryce, so I know you weren't hunting for meat. Is there something else you want to share about this little adventure?"

The men stared back at him with sullen looks until Deputy Sheriff Roland stepped up in front of Henry and read them their rights. A look of frustration crossed the game warden's face, and Deeks realized he'd been trying to get at something deeper that might be going on. He decided to make it a point to talk with him in depth tomorrow. The two law officers ushered the men toward the waiting vehicles, followed by Beecher, leaving Deeks feeling the residue of his earlier anger and something he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"You know these guys, Henry," Joe stated, obviously bothered as well. "Does any of this make sense to you?"

"I've caught them poaching before, and they even did a little time for it," he replied. "Chief Hartman has gotten them on a few misdemeanors, but holding two members of the Kemp family at gunpoint? That surprises me. They know how powerful that family is, so this is definitely odd."

"They knew someone was in the cabin. They knocked," Deeks said. "Then came in the door with guns up."

"No reason for that if they were just seeking shelter from the storm," Kensi said.

"The question is…what were they seeking?" Joe asked.

"Deputy Roland might not even care," Henry Tarver said, shaking his head. "He's not the smartest can of beer in a six pack. I'll drive up to Rawlins in the morning and see if he'll let me talk to them."

"When I went to check on the horses they called me a couple of dirty names," Soldier said. "Said when they get out, there'd be payback. For you too, Uncle Deeks."

"I won't let that happen, son," Elan said, squeezing the back of his neck gently, but there was no mistaking the intensity in his eyes.

"It's quite possible they won't be out for a while. Sheffield Kemp has the juice to get the sheriff to pile on a few more charges and keep them from making bail," Henry assured him. "He doesn't think much of Purty, but he's still the man's son. And he's very possessive of Molly, even though she drives him crazy, or so the gossip goes. He's hell on his sons, but I don't think he's ever quite known how to deal with a girl."

"Beecher said Kemp was a control freak," Deeks said.

"Yeah…Molly told me he's real strict," Soldier added. "She's afraid to tell him what happened today."

"That could mean hell to pay for Harley and Bryce. Kemp is known to hold a grudge," Tarver said. "If they somehow manage to get out, you two should watch your back. Those two hold grudges too."

"I won't let them hurt my son again, Tarver," Elan warned. "You might want to tell them that when you see them."

"Got it," Henry replied, and then quickly changed the subject. "Listen, I've got to go see if I can find those two elk they shot before predators get to them. That meat will feed a lot of people who need it."

"Maybe we can talk tomorrow, if you have the time," Deeks said, and the man nodded and headed back toward his truck.

"Hey, brother," Joe said. "Thought you were on your honeymoon?"

"Yeah, Deeks. Your choice. Investigating poachers or cuddling with me?" Kensi said, raising her eyebrows with a questioning look.

"I'm freezing, so I'll take door number two," Deeks said, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her close.

"I'll go get the horses," Soldier said. "Can't leave 'em here. Molly can come get her sorrel tomorrow."

"We'll ride them down to the gate," Elan said. "George and Uncle Jim are waiting there with the horse trailer."

"Why didn't they bring it up here to the cabin?" Deeks asked.

"Kemp had two security guards waiting at the gate when everyone arrived," Joe said in a low voice. "Dad and Uncle Jim were barred from entering the property."

"Don't think they knew who I was," Joe said. "And we hid Elan under a blanket in the back. Couldn't risk an altercation."

"Sonofabitch." Deeks was stunned, even though he realized he shouldn't be.

"Can we go home now?" Soldier asked. "I don't like this place anymore."

No one spoke, and Elan gave him a knowing look before guiding his son toward the barn. Deeks stepped in front of Kensi and pulled her into a hug, and he felt Joe's hand grip his shoulder before he left to follow his cousins. Deeks felt a deep sadness in his heart for all of them. Hate was the spoiler of a day that had ended without bloodshed. They should all be elated that they had come out unscathed. Instead, there was a pall of anxiety hanging in the air, as if they were all tainted, guilty of some offense they had no control over. Elan had had to humble himself by hiding, just so he could come get his son, and for George and Jim Littleshield to be treated with such disrespect simply because of the blood that flowed through their veins, was an affront to their very nature. They were two of the most honorable men he had ever met, and he felt helpless in the face of the dark intolerance they had probably been dealing with their entire lives.

"Deeks?" Kensi said softly. "Are you okay? You're shivering."

"I don't understand any of this, Kens," he replied. "I think of all of them as family, but I'm not. Not really. I'll never suffer like they did today, or be able to understand what it feels like to be treated with baseless contempt like that…to be treated as less than other men."

"George and Jim were both so stoic when they were told they weren't welcome," Kensi said. "I think they were expecting it. Elan warned me before we got there. Asked me not to say anything. He just wanted to get here as fast as he could."

"That's fucked up, Kens."

"Yes…it is."

They turned as the three people he thought of as family rode out of the barn. They looked strong, and deeply connected to one another, sharing a bond he could never be a part of. For the first time since he'd come here all those years ago, Deeks felt estranged from the brotherhood he cherished. It hurt.

"I'm sure Jeff Roland will want your statement before you leave," Joe said as he pulled Sheila up next to them. "Take my SUV. We'll see you at the ranch."

"Yeah…no. See you there," Deeks said. "Could you do me a favor and give Sheila something special for dinner? She was a trooper out there today."

"Steak and mashed potatoes okay?" Joe asked, smiling down at him.

"That's sounds pretty good to me, actually," Deeks laughed.

"She'll get the best, Cuz," Elan promised.

"I got a big apple I was saving," Soldier said.

"She'd like that," Deeks replied, feeling grateful for their easy going promises.

They rode off side by side, the horses blowing hot breath into the cold air in swirls that rose around their heads. Soldier was riding Molly's sorrel, and Deeks watched as he spoke softly to the animal and ran his hand over its withers. He was making a connection, and his gentle touch brought tears to Deeks' eyes. He was a good kid, and he was proud of how he'd handled himself today. Kensi wrapped her arm around his back, and they followed in the horses' wake as they made a wide path past the cabin. Beecher suddenly ran in front of them and roughly grabbed the reins of Molly's horse, causing the animal to jerk its head up and squeal.

"This horse is not yours to take, kid," Beecher said.

Elan was off the pinto and in the man's face within seconds, and Deeks broke into a run to reach him before things got out of hand. Henry Tarver, the game warden, got to them first, doing his best to get between them as they pushed and shoved each other, while Soldier tried to calm the sorrel gelding.

"Everyone just take a breath, okay?" Henry said. "Let go of the reins, Beecher. Let's talk this out."

"Then tell him to take his hands off me before something bad happens," Beecher said.

"You don't want to take Elan on, Beecher," Deeks said. "You're smarter than that."

"This horse belongs to the Kemps," Beecher said. "You don't approve of horse stealing, do you, Mr. Game Warden?"

"We weren't stealing it, we were taking it down to the gate. Kemp has men there," Elan said, finally letting go of the man. "Or did you plan on leaving the horse here all night?"

"Unless you want to ride this animal out yourself, Beecher, I suggest you take them at their word," Henry said. "It would be cruel to leave the horse here, especially if another blizzard whips up."

"Molly asked me to look after Bieber," Soldier said.

"Wait. She named her horse Bieber?" Deeks asked. "As in Justin Bieber?"

"I don't know who that is," Soldier said with a shrug. "She just told me his name is Bieber."

"Deeks has been called that from time to time," Kensi said, smiling along with Joe.

"You wouldn't want it to get out that you rode Justin Bieber, would you Mr. Beecher?" Henry asked with a smirk. "People might get the wrong idea. The boys down at the Rustic Bar would have a lot of fun playing with that scenario. They're always up for a new story to pass around."

"I knew there was a reason I didn't like you, Tarver," he replied.

"I thought it was because I wrote you up for taking down a pronghorn antelope for the fun of it, and leaving it to rot," Henry said in a flat tone of voice as he took a step toward the man.

"Just testing my new long range rifle," Beecher said, with an arrogant smile. "He was running almost full out, too."

"I catch you using wildlife for target practice again, I'll take your license and have you thrown in jail," Tarver warned.

"You can try," Beecher said.

"You riding the sorrel out or are we?" Joe asked. "It'll be dark soon, so make up your mind. I don't have a lot of patience with you Kemp people today."

"Take the damn horse," Beecher said. "But just remember…I know where you live."

"Really?" Deeks laughed. "Wow! Stealing a line from every bad movie ever made. Weak, Beecher. Shame on you."

"Shut up, Deeks," he said, stomping off through the snow.

"See you at home, Cuz," Elan said before vaulting onto the back of his son's pinto. "We'll talk. You look like you need to sort some things out."

"Sounds good."

By the time he'd finished giving his statement, Deeks decided he really didn't like Deputy Sheriff Roland. The man was rude, and had been angry that Soldier had left before he could talk to him, but Deeks reminded him that Purty and Molly had left before he had even arrived. The man then demanded that Soldier be available for him to talk to tomorrow. When he and Kensi finally headed for the door, Beecher was making sure the cabin was put in order and the fire was out. Deeks wasn't sure what to make of the look he gave him as he ushered Kensi out the door. As they walked past the deputy sheriff's SUV, Harley and Bryce stared out at them until they couldn't see them anymore. Their expressions pissed Deeks off, and he had the sudden urge to rip the door open and wipe the looks off their faces. It was only when Kensi took his hand that the urge subsided. He wondered if she knew what he'd been thinking.

"You folks might want to follow me down to the gate," Chief Hartman said. "Kinda hard to follow that two track in the snow unless you know which way it's gonna turn."

"Thanks, Chief," Deeks said, climbing into the passenger seat as Kensi got behind the wheel.

Before starting the car, she pulled a heavy wool blanket from the floor of the back seat and plopped it in his lap. "You're shivering again."

"Now see…this is one of the many reasons I love you," He said, gratefully spreading the blanket over his knees and pulling it up to his chin.

"You better…we're on our honeymoon," she said, revving the engine. "Though this isn't exactly what I had in mind."

"Me either," Deeks said. "Hugging Purty Kemp was more like a nightmare than my preferred wet dream about you."

"Good to know, but…want to explain the circumstances of that little diversion?" she asked. "Cause the picture in my mind isn't pretty."

"Well, I wasn't naked if that's what you're wondering," he said. "At least not when we were hugging."

"Deeks," she said in the familiar warning tone he had become so used to.

He told her everything, sharing Soldier's story as well, and the attack and its aftermath. By the time he was finished they were skirting the trees several miles from the cabin, bumping over the rough track in the deepening darkness. When they cut around a grove of spruce, the headlights from the Saratoga Police Chief's SUV lit up the side of the game warden's green pickup. Joe and Elan were there, helping Henry get the carcass of a four point elk into the bed of his truck next to the doe Harley said they had also shot. Hartman parked and got out, so Kensi shrugged, and pulled up beside him.

"Will this day never end?" Deeks asked dramatically as he opened the door and climbed out to follow Kensi. If he wasn't mistaken, she was enjoying herself.

The horses were tied to the green pickup's grill and Soldier stood in the middle of them, stroking their necks in turn.

"How you doing?" Deeks asked as he laid a hand on top of Sheila's mane when she turned to press her head into his chest.

"I hope Molly's not in trouble," he replied. "I think she's scared of her dad, Uncle Deeks."

"I know how that feels, but she's a tough girl, Soldier. Don't underestimate her."

He nodded, but didn't seem convinced. "I like that game warden. He's not like the others."

"What…what do you mean?"

"He treats us like we're just regular people," the boy said.

"You are regular people…except for maybe Joe. He's a little weird sometimes," Deeks said with a grin. "And your dad has no detectible sense of humor, but other than that, I'd say you were all pretty damn normal."

"You're funny, Uncle Deeks. Thanks." He was grinning when he said it.

The game warden was shaking hands with Joe and Elan when they heard the distant sound of gunfire. It startled them all, and Kensi immediately pulled her weapon, which Deeks hadn't realized she had on her.

"What the hell is going on tonight," Chief Hartman said. "I better go take a look. You willing to back me up, Henry?"

"You bet," Henry said. "That was definitely a semi-automatic rifle."

"More than one," Elan said.

"We'll help if you want us," Joe offered.

"You sure?" Hartman replied. "Don't want to get anybody killed."

"I was FBI," Joe said. "Kensi and Deeks are Federal agents, and Elan is an ex-Army Ranger."

"We're good to go," Kensi said, nodding at Deeks.

"Not me," Elan said. "I'm taking my son home."

"You should go with him, Kens," Deeks said.

"And why is that?" Her eyes flashing ominously at him.

"Because we don't know what's really going on here, and I'd feel better if Elan had backup," Deeks said.

"I wouldn't mind an extra pair of eyes," Elan said, then lowered his voice as he stepped closer. "Soldier won't admit it, but I think his ribs are cracked. Could you talk to him on the way down? I think he'll tell you if they are."

"Of course, Elan," she said, her expression finally softening. "Deeks? Be careful."

"Yes, Wifey."

"Whoever's coming, let's move. We'll take my Tahoe," Chief Hartman, pulling open his door and sliding behind the wheel.

Henry Tarver handed serious rifles to each one of them, making Deeks wonder just what a game warden came up against in his daily routine. The man had a Glock side arm on his belt, but he headed toward Hartman's vehicle armed with a high-powered scoped rifle. He had the kind of look on his face that confirmed that he wasn't a man to be trifled with. He was hard core law enforcement, and Deeks had no doubts about following him into a firefight, if it came to that.

Hartman's driving was almost as bad as Kensi's, and Deeks held onto the headrest in front of him as they bounced back over the rough track through the snow. The gunfire had ceased, but all of them were prepping their weapons in case they were fired on.

"I'm not getting a good feeling about this, Pete," Henry said, when Hartman slowed down to round a blind curve.

"Yeah…better go dark," he replied, shutting off his headlights.

"Sonofabitch," Deeks said, as the scene spread out before them.

The deputy sheriff's SUV was off the road and broadside to them, the front bumper pressed into the trunk of a huge lodgepole pine. One of its headlights had been shot out, and the other beamed into the darkness of the forest. The windshield was pocked with bullet holes, and the side windows were shattered. Some distance off was an overturned snowmobile, and the dark shape of a body lay sprawled in the snow.

"Must have hit them from the trees," Joe said as the Chief stopped.

Deeks and Joe piled out of the SUV, keeping the car between them and the tree line. Henry followed, laying his rifle over the hood of the car, and moving it slowly as he scanned the area through the scope. Hartman could be heard on the radio, calling for backup and a forensic team.

"Hear that?" Henry asked. "Snowmobiles. They're a good ways off and deep in the forest. We won't catch them tonight."

"All of us must have passed right by them," Joe said. "Looks like the bastards were waiting for them."

"How do I tell my sister, Henry?" Hartman asked, looking sick. "Jeff could be a real asshole, but she loved the idiot."

Henry gripped his shoulder briefly, and the man sagged as if he might fall, but the game warden got a hand under his elbow, holding him steady. When he was ready, the four of them walked slowly toward the vehicle. Deeks stopped short and then headed for the body by the snowmobile. He knew who he'd find. Beecher's body lay oddly twisted in the crusty snow, now stained red by his blood. Multiple wounds stitched across his chest. He had somehow managed to get his gun out before he went down, and Deeks wondered if he'd had a chance to fire it.

"Sorry, man."

He rose and walked back to join the others, feeling angry, but too tired to make sense of any of it.

"What the hell is all this?" Deeks asked when he reached them.

"Not sure, but they weren't here to help Harley and Bryce escape," Chief Hartman said. "Those two boys were shot to pieces."

"And your brother-in-law?" Deeks asked, regretted the question as soon as he asked it. "Sorry for your loss, Chief."

The man's face filled with pain, but only briefly. "He didn't make it."

"I'd say he was the first one they took out," Henry said. "Was that Beecher on the snowmobile?"

"Yeah," Deeks replied. "Might have got a shot off."

"They took their time with the guys in the back. Lots of footprints in the snow by the back door," Joe said. "It's a pretty messy scene. Looks like someone was really pissed at those two."

"Why?" Deeks asked. "What did they do that got them shot to hell?"

"The better question might be…what didn't they do?" Henry Tarver asked to no one in particular.

…

…


	6. Chapter 6

**Choices**

_Chapter 6_

…

The crime scene was lit up like a stage set, the bodies of the dead grotesque in the glaring lights. The investigators and forensic people moved in slow motion, knowing there was no need to hurry. Beecher's body stood out starkly against the illuminated snow, frozen in time in Deeks' mind. His lungs burned with every icy breath he took in, his chest tight as the cold seeped through his clothing. He couldn't feel his feet anymore, and he stamped them as he shoved his hands deeper into the pockets of the coat he'd borrowed only this morning. It had been a long day, and as the time edged closer to midnight, he was grateful it was almost over.

Joe had gone into the forest with the game warden, Henry Tarver, hoping to find something that might lead to a clue that would tell them who might have done this. There seemed to be an easygoing camaraderie between the two men. While they'd waited for the investigative team to show up, Joe had told him the two of them knew each other from high school football. Joe had been a sophomore wide receiver, while Henry, a senior, had been a running back. They'd become friends, losing touch only when Henry went off to college and then joined the Marines, going on to do a tour in Iraq. They had reconnected at Joe's brother's funeral, and had communicated off and on throughout the years. Somehow they had both ended up in law enforcement.

Deeks pushed away from the grill of the truck he was leaning against as Chief Hartman walked toward him. He had a satellite phone pressed to his ear, and did not look or sound happy.

"He worked for your family, damn it," Hartman said. "The least you can do is locate his next of kin. You know…a mother, father, brother, sister. Like that. Don't tell me you don't do your due diligence on your employees, cause we both know that would be bullshit."

The man swore as he lowered the phone and stared at it. "I swear that asshole has had a burr up his ass since he was born."

"Which Kemp would that be?" Deeks asked.

"Dalton," the man replied. "He's a prick of the first order, that one."

"Yeah. Met him," Deeks replied. "Find anything yet?"

"Beecher's gun had been fired twice," he replied. "Lets just hope he hit one of those bastards."

Hartman suddenly looked over at the vehicle in the center of the pool of artificial light, visibly shaken as the body of his brother-in-law was removed and laid on a sheet of yellow plastic.

"Damn it to hell," he whispered. "Still can't believe it. He didn't have a chance."

"You could hand this case off, you know. It's not even your jurisdiction, right?" Deeks said gently. "He was family. Everyone would understand."

"My sister wouldn't," he said without energy. "My sis would probably shoot them herself if she knew who they were. Never understood what she saw in the guy, but she wants blood now."

"Did they have kids?"

"Lost their boy a couple of years ago," he replied, choking up as he spoke. "Leukemia. She's had a hell of a hard road even before this."

Deeks didn't know what to say, so he simply nodded.

"I'll stay here until Sheriff Sogard arrives," Hartman said. "It won't take him long to kick me outa here."

They both turned when Henry shouted their names from the far edge of the trees, waving them over. Deeks was grateful for the distraction, and Chief Hartman seemed to be as well. They walked past the crime scene, neither one looking inside at the remains of Harley and Bryce. Once was enough. The further away they got the denser the darkness became, the only light a weak shimmer from the crime scene, and the flashlights Joe and Henry were holding. The air seemed colder without the comfort of light, and the forest looked foreboding, towering over them all. Once again an image of a bright, sandy beach flashed through Deeks' mind, but he sucked in his breath and dispelled it, although his longing for Kensi lingered.

"Beecher hit one of 'em," Henry said, as he led them in amongst the trees, stopping beside the scaly trunk of one of the lodgepole pines.

Joe swung his flashlight down, and its circle of light lit up a splash of frozen blood at the base of the tree. There wasn't a lot, but Deeks felt a surge of hope that they would find these guys.

"Good for him. Figure out how many there were?" Hartman asked.

"Two, according to the tracks," Joe said. "And there's a spotty blood trail."

"Snowmobile tracks start up about a quarter mile back in the trees," Henry added. "Whoever they were, they probably left a truck somewhere down toward the valley or in one of the elk camps."

"What the hell were Harley and Bryce into?" Hartman said. "This ain't about poaching, but what the hell it is about…I have no idea."

"It had to have something to do with the Kemps," Joe said. "Their cabin. Their land."

"And our mess," Hartman said. "Or Sheriff Sogard's, I guess. I'll wait till he gets here, then I'm going home."

With that, he turned and walked away, the bright lights around the crime scene shining as a sad beacon out beyond the trees. They looked at each other and then followed.

Sheriff Sogard finally arrived in a helicopter and took control of the investigation. He looked stunned by the carnage, standing silently over his dead deputy for a long time. Henry Tarver talked with him briefly, and led him back into the trees to the spot where the blood had been found. A forensic team trailed behind them. Hartman waited in his SUV for the three of them to give their statements, then drove the three of them back down to the game warden's truck.

"Thanks for coming with me tonight, Henry. And you guys, too. Woulda been tough to deal with alone," Hartman said. "I need to make some calls and then I'm heading up to Rawlins. Susie's already up there with my sister."

Soon as they were out of his Tahoe, Hartman gunned the engine and skidded on the snow before the wheels caught. He roared down the two-track, his taillights bouncing in the dark until finally disappearing when he rounded a stand of pines.

"I think he's gonna miss arguing with old Jeff," Henry said. "Those two never agreed on anything. Pete's probably feeling bad about that right now."

"We all know what losing family feels like," Joe said. "Hope you get the guys who did it."

"Thanks for the help back there," Henry said. "And nice meetin' you, Deeks. Give my best to George."

"Didn't realize you knew him," Deeks said.

"I got all my horses from George," he replied. "Well trained, steady goers, and don't spook easily. Need that in my line of work."

They shook hands and parted ways. Joe drove carefully as they followed Henry down the hill, neither one in the mood to talk. Deeks felt dead tired, and nodded off a couple of times, finally jolting awake when Joe slammed on the brakes and skidded to a stop. Just beyond the Kemp's open gate there was a standoff, illuminated by the headlights of George's truck and a black one with the Kemp logo on the side. Deeks exploded out of the truck when he saw two men holding rifles on his angry wife, while Jim Littleshield and Soldier held Elan back. Henry waded into the middle of the shouting match, while Deeks hurried over to Kensi, who looked surprised to see him.

"Deeks! Are you okay?" Her face anxious as she quickly wrapped him in a hug.

"Anybody worried about me?" Joe asked, grinning slightly until he saw his father sitting on the ground with his back against the bumper of his truck. "Dad? What the hell happened?"

"Point those guns at the ground and step away," Henry loudly ordered the two guards, waiting until they complied until he turned to the man wearing designer horn-rimmed glasses and a cashmere overcoat. "You've got four dead men back up there. Isn't that enough excitement for you, Mase?"

"What? Who?" The man asked, suddenly looked nervous.

"Didn't Dalton call you?" Henry asked. "Your man Beecher and Deputy Roland were ambushed. Harley and Bryce Stubbs were killed too. All shot multiple times."

"Holy shit," the man whispered.

"Now what's all this?" Henry asked, sweeping his hand across the scene. "And you better have a damn good reason why George Atwood is on the ground with a black eye."

"What? Oh…we tried to make a citizen's arrest of that Indian over there and his kid," he replied.

"What the hell for?" Henry asked, sounding annoyed.

"Trespassing?" he replied, as if it were obvious. "Atwood just got in the way."

Deeks and Joe had helped George to his feet, but when they heard that, they both advanced on the man. Elan finally broke free of the grip his uncle had on him and looked ready to kill someone.

"If you or your men ever touch George or my son again, I'll come for you," Elan warned, his voice soft and low and deadly.

"He can't threaten me like that, Tarver," Mase said. "Do something."

"I'd call that a warning to watch your manners," Henry said.

"I suggest you take that warning to heart, Kemp," Joe said. "Or Elan won't be the only one that'll come knocking on your office door."

"I'd take that suggestion, if I were you," Deeks added, trying as hard as he could not to hit the man.

"That's enough. All of you," George said, stepping between them. "Men have died tonight, and there are people in mourning. A black eye don't hardly count as something to be angry about."

His words took the sting out of their venom, and after quietly milling around, everyone slowly headed for their vehicles.

"Kensi punched the guy who hit Grampa George," Soldier whispered.

Deeks smiled at Kensi, and pulled her close. The day had been long and exhausting, with an incredibly sad ending. All he wanted was a hot shower and to get into bed and cuddle with his wife. He wished he had the energy for something more than that, but he didn't. At least not tonight.

…

The smell of coffee woke him, and he cracked one eye open. Kensi was smiling down on him, her silk robe open and her hips cocked provocatively. She wasn't wearing anything underneath, and he felt himself stir. He opened his other eye to more fully appreciate who he had married, and he had to admit, he had done good…really good.

"Hey, my sexy wife," he said. "That coffee for me?"

"Maybe."

"Okay, Mrs. Bleeks. What do I have to do to win that cup of coffee," he asked, grinning as he scooted over so she could sit down next to him.

"Well…you did fall asleep as soon as your head hit the pillow last night," she said, lifting her leg and placing her foot on the bed, revealing enough to make him harden at the sight.

"And?"

"And…this being our pre-honeymoon…I require a reminder of why I married you."

"Can I have my coffee first?" He asked, running his hand up her calf. "Or is this a rush order?"

She sat down on the bed and tucked her legs up, handing over the cup of coffee with one hand as she pulled away the bedcovers with the other. As he took his first sips of coffee, she began to move her hand slowly up and down the inside of his thigh. Her robe slipped off her shoulder as she stroked him, and he reached out, fondling her exposed breast.

"Damn, woman…you are so beautiful," he whispered.

She rose up on her knees, and he set the coffee cup on the side table. As she straddled him, he rested his hands on her hips, sucking in his breath as she began to move. Their lovemaking was slow and gentle and sweet. Her soft lips were warm and he lost himself in the moment, forgetting the harsh reality of the previous day and the images that had inhabited his dreams. She draped herself across his body as they cooled down, tucking her head beneath his jaw, and resting her hand on his chest. It was comforting to hold her.

"I love you," he whispered. "I missed you yesterday."

"You should have let me know you were going after Soldier," she said. "I was worried when I couldn't reach you. All of us were worried about you both. Especially Elan."

"Sorry. Didn't expect to get caught in a blizzard or have to pull one of the stupid Kemps out of a creek," he replied. "Didn't expect anything that happened after that either."

"You didn't sleep well," she said. "And I knew you'd still thinking about it this morning. So…I thought you could use a little diversion."

"This…was a very good diversion," he said.

"Just 'good'?" She asked, rising up on her elbow to stare at him.

"Okay, baby…Awesome. This, right here, was awesome," he said, pulling her to him for a deep kiss.

They both parted smiling, and he felt euphoric. "Being married to you every day is totally awesome."

"Yes it is," she replied. "Now go make me pancakes. Everyone else has already eaten."

"What time is it?"

"Close to eleven," she said, getting up and walking to the bathroom.

"So you want elevensies?"

"Yes I do, Mr. Frodo," she replied, glancing back with the flash of a smile.

"Pippin is the one who wanted elevensies," he explained as she closed the door. "If you hadn't slept through most of the movie you would have known that."

"You're weird," she yelled through the door.

"And you married me anyway," he whispered to himself.

He pulled the covers back up to his chin, still feeling the residue of the chill he'd had the day before. He let the events of yesterday sift through his mind, but they either didn't make sense, or were confusing, or simply made him angry. He was left with more questions than answers, and a lot of uncertainty about how to deal with the stark prejudice of the Kemps as it related to Soldier. There was no room for him within that family's stubborn and unreasonable hatred. They were blind. They couldn't see Soldier for the good young man he was, and probably never would. He could only see heartbreak for the kid if he persisted in his friendship with Molly. The question was, would he listen to anyone about it. The thought pushed him to get out of bed and join his wife in the shower. He needed another one of her awesome diversions before he tried to work out all the questions in his head.

As they finished dressing, he was tempted to forego "elevensies", and rip his wife's clothes off and take her back to bed, but a quick knock on the door ended that sexy thought.

"Uncle Deeks?" Soldier called out. "They're arresting Papa."

Deeks yanked the door open and charged past the boy and down the hall to the living room, with Kensi right behind him. Two deputy sheriffs were standing just inside the front door, handcuffing Elan.

"Elan? What's this about?" He asked as one of the deputies put his hand out to stop him.

"You stay where you are," the officer said, his hand resting on the butt of his holstered pistol. "I have a warrant."

"What's the charge?"

"The Kemps are having me arrested for trespassing," Elan said, his muscled coiled and his expression full of contempt.

"And you need to handcuff him for that?" Deeks asked, not even trying to hide his anger.

"There's an additional charge of threatening to do bodily harm during the commission of the crime," the officer said. "Mr. Kemp also told us he has a reputation as a troublemaker,"

"Seriously?" Deeks said. "Which Kemp told you that?"

"Mr. Dalton Kemp," the man answered.

"And you took his word about what happened without checking it out first?" Kensi asked. "I'm a witness. I was there. Dalton Kemp wasn't."

"The Kemps are an important family in Carbon County," the deputy said. "They filed a legitimate complaint. Now let us do our job."

"Four men are dead on Kemp property and they're more interested in a trespassing charge?" Deeks asked, completely baffled.

"They swore out a complaint early this morning," the other deputy sheriff said, shrugging at him. "Now back away, or we'll arrest you too for interfering with an officer of the law."

"He is an officer of the law," George said, coming in behind the two sheriff's deputies. "He's a Federal agent and a lawyer."

"Then he should understand we're just doing our duty," the first officer said.

"I'm going to assume he can post bail," Deeks said, and the officers both nodded. "Elan…don't say anything to anybody from this moment on. I'll have you out as soon as possible."

"Marty!" Elan warned sharply, nodding toward the kitchen.

Deeks turned to see Jim Littleshield coming in the backdoor with a shotgun in his hands. He moved to intercept him as Kensi stepped between him and the deputies, her hands spread wide to calm their response as they pulled their guns.

"Uncle Jim," Deeks said. "You don't want to do this."

The old man pulled back both hammers on the weapon and took a step toward Elan and the deputies, scaring the shit out of him.

"Jim…listen to me. Please…please just listen," Deeks pleaded, putting both hands on the barrel of the shotgun and pushing the old man back a step. "I've got this. Please...you have to trust me."

Deeks had never seen him like this before. Jim maintained his grip on the shotgun, and barely acknowledged Deeks' presence. He stared blankly at his nephew and the deputies, his eyes dark. His chin was quivering, but his jaw flexed with tension. Deeks had rarely seen Jim Littleshield get angry about anything, but he saw how deep his anger was now.

"They will hurt him in that place," Jim said softly. "They will do to him what they did to me, and I'm not gonna let them do that."

"I don't want anything to happen to Elan either. You know that. He's my brother," Deeks said. "Uncle Jim…please. Let go of the gun."

"He better drop that weapon or we will shoot him," one deputy said.

"You'll have to shoot me first," Elan growled, moving to stand beside Kensi.

"Me too," Soldier said, stepping in front of his father.

"No one is shooting anybody," George said. "Jim! Stop this. Give Marty the shotgun. Now!"

Deeks felt the old man's grip loosen, and he pulled the shotgun from his hands, resetting the hammers before laying it on the kitchen table. He suddenly felt weak in the knees, stunned by what had happened in a place he thought of as a safe haven. His memory flashed with haunting images of the last attack on the sanctity of this place, and he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Jim Littleshield, hugging the old man to him.

"You helped save my life here once," he whispered in the old man's ear. "Now let me help Elan."

"All right, Marty. I trust you," Jim finally said as he stepped away. "But I don't trust those Kemp people. They hate us because we are Arapaho. They have dead souls, and evil hearts. They are powerful and full of themselves. You see what they're doing. Be careful, Marty."

"I will, Uncle Jim," he said, but was concerned for the old man.

George walked over and put his arm around his cousin's shoulder and turned him back into the kitchen. The emotions of the moment got to Deeks, and he wasn't sure what he was feeling…anger or utter sadness.

Kensi pulled Deeks aside, her eyes filled with worry. "I'm going to grab my badge and go with George and Soldier. We'll follow Elan wherever they take him. I'll take care of the bail. You should stay with Jim."

"Good idea," he said, looking up as Elan walked over.

"Thanks, brother," Elan said. "Uncle told me this would happen."

"Really? When?" Deeks asked.

"Last night," he said, smiling slightly. "He sees things, remember? Freaks me out sometimes."

"Wish he'd told me," Deeks said.

"Yeah, well…he left out the part where he comes out wielding a shotgun," Elan said, blowing out some of his tension. "Hate to ask, Cuz, but could you do me another favor? Could you go up to my place and see to the horses?"

"Absolutely," he replied. "I'll take Uncle Jim with me."

"George called Joe," Elan said. "He said he'd come out here and stay until everyone gets back."

"Stay calm, brother," Deeks said. "And don't answer any questions."

"Like a prisoner of war?" he said, as the two deputies took his arms. "Don't worry, Marty. I'll survive. I was captured and held captive in Iraq for six days. Believe me when I say…this ain't nothin'."

Deeks wondered if he had said that for Soldier's benefit, and if he did, it seemed to work. Soldier looked much calmer than he had when this first happened. It made him feel better, too, but not Jim Littleshield, whose expression remained rigid as Elan was led out the door to the patrol car. Seeing him sitting behind the security screen in the back brought a surge of anger. The whole thing pissed him off. It was a trumped up charge, a misdemeanor blown all out of proportion.

"Kens? I'm gonna to call Hetty," he said when she came out from the bedroom with her badge in her hand. "This stinks, and Elan might need all the help he can get. If they push the bodily harm allegation, Elan could do time, and that would devastate Soldier."

"They wouldn't do that would they?" Kensi looked startled by the possibility.

"Beecher told me that there were all sorts of ways to hurt a kid like Soldier that isn't physical," Deeks said. "He told me if Kemp comes at us, we might not see it coming. Sound familiar?"

"Definitely call Hetty," Kensi said. "She might know someone who could help."

"Wouldn't be surprised," Deeks said. "Kens? Don't let him spend anymore time in jail than he has to."

"I'll call as soon as he's out," she said, kissing him quickly before she headed out the door.

Deeks stood on the porch with Jim Littleshield watching the two vehicles drive away. He felt frustrated and empty, wishing Joe had been here, even though it wouldn't have made any difference. He and Diane had rented a small house on the northern outskirts of Saratoga, wanting to be closer to the hospital in Rawlins when she went into labor. Joe loved his family, and he had grown up with Elan. This would hit him hard. Almost as hard as the old man beside him.

"You okay, Jim?" Deeks asked.

"I should have told Soldier the truth when he first told us about Molly," he said.

"What do you mean?" Deeks asked.

"Me and Sheff Kemp got history," he replied. "You want some coffee?"

The old Arapaho turned and walked back inside, leaving Deeks surprised and curious. He followed him, wanting very much to know how that history had come back to haunt them. Jim remained silent as he handed Deeks a mug of coffee and then began scrambling some eggs. He allowed the man time to gather himself, knowing he couldn't be rushed into sharing until he was ready. He watched him pop a couple of pieces of sourdough bread in the toaster, and by the time his breakfast was placed in front of him, Deeks was more than ready to hear his story.

"I made you scrambled eggs the day after Joe's wedding," Jim said. "You remember?"

"Sorry, no," Deeks said, spreading apricot jam on the cooling toast.

"George had just told me about you being tortured by that Chinese fella," Jim said, wincing as he spoke the words. "Used a cattle prod on you."

"Don't remind me," Deeks said, but then stopped short, his mind spinning with memories. "Wait…I remember George telling me the same thing had happened to you when you were a kid."

"Yep…long time ago. I was seventeen," he said, his voice soft as he added something in Arapaho.

Deeks waited for him to tell him what he'd already guessed.

"Sheff Kemp was the cowboy I knocked out the night before," Jim said. "And he was the one on the other end of that cattle prod when they tracked me down the next day."

Deeks swallowed hard, remembering his own pain and angry for what had happened to Jim Littleshield at the hand of a man that had now reentered his life, and the lives of his nephew and a boy who called him grampa.

"But you got even," Deeks said.

"Took me a while to get back on my feet," he replied. "George couldn't let it go. He was a rough, tough cowboy back then. Good roper. Everybody knew the Kemps, even back then. Sheff's daddy already owned a good chunk of land, some of it pretty damn remote. It was hunting season by the time I could walk, so George and a couple of our cousins scouted out the Kemp's elk camp. It wasn't too far from where you were last night."

"You waited for him," Deeks said.

"Three days we camped up above that place," he said. "When Kemp showed up, he wasn't there to hunt. He was there to get drunk with a couple of friends. Lucky for us they didn't pee in camp."

"Sounds like you had a plan," Deeks said.

"George lassoed Sheff when his pants were down," Jim said, grinning at the memory. "Tied him to a tree and left him there. Our cousins did the same to his friends."

"Did you let him know it was you?"

"No. Me and George would probably still be in jail if we had," Jim said. "We was Indians. He was a Kemp. He might have suspected it was me and George, but he was drunk as hell. He wouldn't have been able to prove it was us, but he knew we were Indians. One of my cousins made the mistake of cussing him out in Arapaho."

"How long were they out there?"

"Heard he was found by his daddy two days later, his pants and skivvies still down around his ankles," Jim said. "Heard Sheff was covered in skeeter bites, specially in his tender areas."

"I killed the man who tortured me," Deeks said.

"But he blew up Joe and all those other men," Jim said. "And he would have killed you if you hadn't shot him. You had reason, Marty."

"Didn't you?"

"Not enough," he replied. "I just wanted him to know what it felt like to be helpless and in pain."

"Not sure he learned anything from it," Deeks said.

"Now I wonder if what we did made him more of a hater than he already was," Jim said. "That maybe all that's happened with Soldier and Molly is my fault for what I did."

"I learned a long time ago that vengeance cuts both ways."

"Maybe it does, but this time he's going after my family," he replied. "And I ain't a kid no more."

…

…


	7. Chapter 7

**Choices**

_Chapter 7_

…

Deeks watched Jim Littleshield trudge out to the barn through the remains of the melting snow. He seemed older to him now, weighed down by the choice he'd made as a teenager to wreak vengeance on another man. He couldn't find it within himself to blame Jim or George for what they'd done. Lesser men would have done much worst, and Deeks felt a tinge of anger at the sad truth that going to the authorities wasn't an option for them back then. He could only hope that time had changed that, especially for Soldier's sake. He was a sensitive kid, and Deeks wondered if he was blaming himself for Elan being arrested because of the choices he'd made.

The sound of an approaching vehicle broke into his thoughts, and he made his way to the front door. He thought it would be Joe until he saw the game warden's green pickup pull up and park. A sheriff's SUV was coming up the road behind him, and Deeks felt a flash of anger. He walked out onto the porch, unwilling to invite them inside after Elan's arrest.

"You look pissed," Henry Tarver said, pushing his hat down over his unruly hair as he got out. "Can't say I blame you."

Deeks didn't reply, he just waited to see who was in the SUV that had pulled in beside him.

"Sheriff Sogard wanted to ask you a few more questions," Henry said. "Thought I'd run interference after what happened this morning."

"Morning, Mr. Deeks. I'm Sheriff Thomas Sogard. Didn't have a chance to talk to you last night."

"What do you want?" Deeks asked, not even trying to be polite.

The two men looked at each other, and Tarver shrugged. "You can't blame him for being pissed, Tommy. From what Joe tells me, he and Elan Hand are like brothers."

"I can't just ignore an official complaint, Henry," the man said, sounding a little irritated himself. "He's lucky my officers didn't arrest that old man for threatening them with a shotgun."

"Hey…I'm right here," Deeks snapped. "Now what do you want to ask me? I have things to do."

"You have any coffee?" Henry asked.

"All out."

"You really are pissed," Henry said.

The sheriff shook his head and started toward the porch. "This is official business, and I have questions. So how about we go inside, and you can fill me in on some details."

"You can ask your questions right here," Deeks said, feeling more and more contrary.

"I found out this morning you're a Federal agent and were a cop once. You should understand," the man said.

"And yet I don't," Deeks replied. "Elan did what he did to get to his thirteen-year-old son. He had no idea what the situation was, or what shape his son might be in. All he knew was that Soldier had been held hostage by two men with assault weapons. What would you do Sheriff Sogard, if you knew you wouldn't be allowed to go comfort your son because the owners of the property didn't like the color of your skin?"

"I get it, Mr. Deeks," He said.

"No. You don't," Deeks said. "Elan only found his son three years ago. Soldier was just a baby when his mother ran off with him while Elan was serving in Afghanistan. That kid spent ten years being abused by the asshole she ran off with. He was forced to ride juiced racehorses he shouldn't have been anywhere near, and punished if he didn't win. The only family he knew was involved in human trafficking and who knows what all."

"I didn't know that," Sogard said, looking chastened. "My youngest son is eleven."

"Nothing was gonna to stop Elan from finding a way up to that cabin last night," Deeks said. "So maybe you can take those circumstances into account if the Kemps push for more serious charges."

"Don't think that will be necessary," he said. "Had a call from the state's Attorney General this morning. Said he got an earful from a lady he's had dealings with before. A lady named Henrietta Lange. Elan Hand is being released. No further charges pending. There's a small fine involved, but apparently Ms. Lange already took care of that."

Deeks was smiling broadly when he finished. "You probably should have led with that."

"Probably," he replied.

"I'll be happy to answer your questions, if you don't mind asking them in the barn. I want to tell Uncle Jim the good news," Deeks said as he came down the steps and shook the sheriff's hand.

"He doesn't have his shotgun with him does he?" Henry asked.

"Let's hope not," the sheriff said. "I don't need anymore complications than I already have."

They found Jim Littleshield in a stall with one of the mares. He didn't look particularly happy to see the sheriff, looking more stoic than anything. He led the horse out and kept her between himself and the three of them, looking surprised when Deeks smiled at him.

"Hetty pulled some strings," Deeks said. "Elan is free. No further charges."

Deeks saw the old man's hand tremble as he ran it over the mare's back. He said something in Arapaho to the animal and then led her toward the back of the barn and out under the cottonwoods. Deeks hesitated to follow, old memories flooding into his mind. That hadn't happened in a long time, and he wondered why Uncle Jim had gone out there. The sheriff hesitated as well, and then looked down at the ground before taking a deep breath and following Jim out.

"Want to tell me what you all seem to know and I don't?" Henry asked. "Cause the hair just stood up on the back of my neck."

"History."

Deeks wasn't ready to share what had happened here or across the creek, but the game warden had picked up the vibe. When they got outside, Jim Littleshield was standing beside the mare, staring at the open field across the creek where Deeks had almost died. The sheriff stood quietly by his side. The snow wasn't as deep as it had been back then, but Deeks was hit by a sudden chill and drew in a quick breath, almost choking on it. Henry looked over at him with concern. It had been six years since Jürgen had come here to terrorize him and his newfound family, and that family had saved him, right out there on that snow covered field. Jim wouldn't have come out here unless he had reason, but it was the sheriff who spoke first.

"I was here that night," he said.

"I remember you," Jim said. "You lost your supper."

"I've never forgotten what happened here," Sogard said. "I still have nightmares sometimes."

"And you judge us for what we did," Jim said, his voice soft and even.

"You trampled a man to death," Sogard said. "The sheriff at the time said it was justified, but I still wonder if there wasn't another way."

"It was a hard death, but that man was evil, and Marty was family," Jim said. "We chose to defend our family."

"That man and the men who came with him killed the couple who owned that piece of land, and would have killed four more, me included," Deeks said. "Elan saved three, and then they saved me."

"You're tight knit. I get that," Sheriff Sogard said.

"You should tell the Kemps that," Jim Littleshield. "We will protect our own."

"Is that a threat?" Sogard asked.

"It is the truth," Jim replied, and then turned and led the mare back into the barn.

"One of you want to fill in the blanks?" Henry Tarver asked.

"Not really," Deeks replied.

"Tommy?"

"Buy me a drink tonight," Sogard replied. "And don't eat anything before you come. It's the only way you'll get through it."

"If you've got questions about last night, ask them," Deeks said, wanting to move on. "I have to get up to Elan's place and feed the horses."

"Okay," the sheriff said. "Did Harley or Bryce mention if they'd been up there hunting with anyone else?"

"No. You think their killers were with them earlier?" Deeks asked in return. "That they knew each other?"

"What are you thinking, Tommy?" Henry asked.

"Initially I thought it might have been an escape attempt gone wrong, but could be they were being questioned before they were shot," the sheriff offered. "The ME called me this morning…said those boys were shot at close range. Almost point blank."

"Coldblooded for sure," Henry said.

"They wanted to silence them," Deeks said. "Which means there was a plan in the works. Those two showing up at the cabin wasn't random at all."

"They were there for a reason," Sheriff Sogard said. "Now all I have to do is figure out why."

"And who sent them there in the first place," Deeks said.

"You know it has something to do with the Kemps, Tommy," Henry said. "Unless Agent Deeks here still has enemies lurking around."

"Hey, I'm on my honeymoon," Deeks said, putting up his hands in denial. "The only people who knew we were coming to Wyoming were family. Besides, no one knew I would be at that cabin. Not even my family."

"Unless there's some kind of buried treasure up there, I think logically, whoever it was, had to be after Molly Kemp," Sheriff Sogard said.

"Kidnapping a Kemp would pretty damn bold," Henry said.

"Did you ask the Kemps if there's been any threats?" Deeks asked, his curiosity growing.

"Tried to at the hospital, but Sheffield put me off," Sheriff Sogard replied. "I'm going over there after I leave here."

"But you did warn him, right?" Deeks asked, concerned about the danger the girl might still be in.

"Dalton was pretty quick in telling me they could take care of their own," he replied.

"I hope he's right," Deeks replied. "Because whoever orchestrated this is still out there and doesn't mind taking out anybody who gets in their way…even cops."

"That's what Purty said," Sogard said.

"How's Purty doing?" Deeks asked.

"Claims he's fine," the sheriff replied. "Purty's always been a hard ass and obnoxious as hell…but last night at the hospital he was different. He was respectful…almost introspective."

"Maybe when his horse threw him, he landed on his head," Henry said with a grin.

"He did land on his head," Deeks said, remembering the scream of the horse as he crashed down on top of him. "Took in quite a bit of water, too. Wasn't breathing when I got to him."

"He asked about you," Sogard said. "Wanted me to thank you again. Said you surprised him."

"Well, he didn't expect much to begin with, so that wouldn't be hard," Deeks replied.

"Joe told me a lot of people underestimate you," Henry said. "Said you saved his life more than once."

"Maybe you ought to come out with us tonight for a drink," the sheriff said. "I've heard all of Henry's stories. I wouldn't mind a few new ones."

"Sounds like you two are old friends," Deeks said.

"Henry saved my ass when I tried to arrest an accused rapist we were tracking up on Red Mountain," Sogard said very quietly. "Took a bullet for me. The least I could do was buy him a drink after he got out of the hospital."

"You get the guy?" Deeks asked.

"Shot the sonofabitch a second too late for Henry's liking," Sogard replied.

"I still make him buy the drinks," Henry said, grinning at Deeks.

"We've been fishing buddies ever since," the sheriff said. "Not that we have a lot of time for that anymore."

"You're the one wanted to be the sheriff," Henry said.

"Yeah…better get back to it, too," he said. "Still got a funeral to attend to. Jeff wasn't a favorite of mine. I inherited him. But he was my officer, and I hated to see him go out like that."

"You'll get the guys who did it, Tommy," Henry said.

"Won't be easy. Not a lot of evidence to go on," Deeks said.

"That's why I need to talk to the Kemps," he replied. "Just hope they cooperate."

"Why wouldn't they?" Deeks asked.

"Cause they're a pack of bastards, and always have been," Sogard's comment was bitter and full of unrevealed history. "Just ask that old Arapaho. You forget the complaint they filed against Elan Hand simply because he's an Indian and had the audacity to set foot on their land?"

"No. I did not."

"Well, don't. Those arrogant bastards don't play fair," he said. "Sheffield Kemp thinks he's king of the mountain, so watch out for that kid, Soldier. The last thing Kemp wants is someone messing with his daughter, especially if he believes that someone is beneath him. That kid doesn't stand a chance with the girl. I hope you find a way to make him understand that."

"And you better make Kemp understand that someone might be after Molly," Deeks said. "She's not safe, and anybody close to her might not be either."

"I'll do my best," the sheriff said and walked back toward the barn.

"He's one of the good ones," Henry Tarver said when he was out of sight.

"I hope so. This case won't be easy. Too many unknowns," Deeks said as they walked side by side through the barn. "It sounds like your friend Tommy has had run-ins with the Kemps before."

"I know his dad did. He doesn't talk about it much," Henry said. "The Sogards have been in this area for generations. His mother's family even longer. None of them have a good thing to say about the Kemps."

"Sounds like the Hatfields and McCoys," Deeks said with a grin. "Old West stuff."

"Probably why Sheffield was backing Jeff Roland for sheriff," Henry said. "He would have been easy to control. Tommy Sogard isn't."

He shook hands with the game warden and watched him walk out over the snowy ground. He liked him. The sheriff too. He went over the case in his mind, still disturbed that Molly might be in danger. Sheila kicked at the door to her stall, interrupting his train of thought. Deeks wished he'd thought to bring a carrot out to her.

"Okay, old lady," he said. "Hold your horses…wait…you are a horse. Okay…that was weird. Am I talking too much? Maybe I'm boring you…but hey…you're a horse, so you can't complain. Right? Good talk."

He talked more nonsense to her as he led her out and saddled her for his ride up to Elan's. Her steady presence always had a calming affect on him, and he enjoyed talking to her. Joe still hadn't arrived and as he tightened the cinch he began to worry. His conversation with the sheriff had left him a little anxious. He wondered if Kensi would mind if they stayed a couple of extra days until he was sure Molly would be okay. He would never forgive himself if something happened to her after they left. It would devastate Soldier. Sheila whinnied, and he looked up to see Uncle Jim walking into the barn. He was smiling softly.

"Joe ain't coming. He's takin' Di to the hospital. Another Atwood is on the way," he said. "George and Kensi are gonna stay in Rawlins and meet him there. We're gonna get us a girl this time."

Deeks huffed out a laugh when the old man wrapped him a quick hug. "They still naming her Joy?"

"Josephine, after Joe's mother," he said. "They'll call her Joy, and that's just what she'll be."

"You see that for her future?" Deeks asked.

"George and me are gonna spoil her rotten," he replied. "We'll make sure she has a real good future."

It was nice to see him so excited and happy after what had happened with Elan. He had lost his sister early to alcohol and drugs and a violent husband, rescuing the only family he had left from the man he held responsible for her death…her twelve-year-old son, Elan. He had raised him with a gentle hand and with kindness. Deeks knew this old man would cherish the coming new baby girl, and lend his hand in guiding her on the right path. They would all protect her with their lives. She was family, and she was the only girl.

"Why don't you stay here and wait for Elan," Deeks said. "I can take care of the horses up at his place"

"Thanks, Marty," Jim said. "Will you thank Hetty for me? She's been a good friend to this family."

"She is something, isn't she?" Deeks said.

As he watched him walk toward the house, Sheila nudged him in the back. She was anxious to get going, even after the strain of yesterday. He led her out of the barn, and she snorted and pawed at the snow.

"Suck it up, old girl," Deeks said and threw himself up into the saddle.

He was looking forward to being alone with his thoughts. He had to admit he was intrigued by the mystery of who had orchestrated last night's massacre. Four men dead. One a cop. He hadn't especially liked the guy, but he had been a fellow officer, and he wanted whoever had killed him to be caught. That Molly might be the target was troubling. The Kemps had either pissed somebody off, or were simply the best target for a big score. If this was a case involving kidnappers, they were the vicious kind that didn't leave any witnesses. It put Soldier in danger if he persisted in meeting up with her and continuing their friendship. The boy could be stubborn, and wouldn't easily be talked out of something he set his mind to despite the danger. When he got back and had everyone together, Deeks intended to fill them in on the details and the possibility that Molly was the target. Soldier needed to know that and so did Elan.

He took the shortcut to the cabin, cutting through the lower aspen grove he and Kensi had stopped in after he'd proposed. The leaves had been a dull yellow back then, but now shimmered a brilliant lime green. He smiled at the memory of cuddling with her at the base of one of these trees. They had fallen asleep and woken up to it snowing. Now the snow glistened in the pale sun that filtered down through the white branches. The sound of melting snow dripping from the branches and running in rivulets down the soft slope toward Elan's little valley added to his feeling of contentment. As he broke through the edge of the tree line, Sheila stopped and took a couple of steps back in between the trees. Her ears were pricked forward, putting Deeks on alert. The muffled sound of oncoming hoofbeats slowly grew, so he waited. Ahead of him was a low rise that shielded his view of Elan's cabin. A small herd of pronghorn antelope suddenly broke over the crest of the hill. They were moving fast, tearing down the slope and running almost full out as they passed him. It was an awesome spectacle. They were one of the fastest animals on the planet and he felt honored to watch them run. He remained alert, knowing something had spooked them, urging his mare out of the trees.

The smell of smoke pricked his nose, and it surprised him. No one should be at the cabin, and he kicked Sheila into a lope, wishing he'd armed himself with his Glock before starting out. He had a hunting rifle, which would have to do if there were uninvited guests. As they climbed the small rise the antelope had just come down, the smell intensified, and gray smoke drifted across the sky. Fear flashed through him when he crested the hill. Flames were licking at the sides of the barn, crawling up to the eaves, the smoke roiling out of the hay piled up against it. The barn doors were closed tight. Elan's mares and yearlings were in there. Adrenaline shot though him and he kicked Sheila hard, racing down to save as many horses as he could. The frantic squeals of the animals were heartbreaking to hear. He yelled out in frustration as Sheila pounded across the meadow, seeming to know the danger that lay ahead. He yanked her to a halt by the fence and leaped from her back, pushing her away.

The flames were roaring as he reached the barn. Throwing both doors open, he was forced back by the fire inside and the heavy, blinding smoke pouring out. The horses were slamming against the walls of their stalls, kicking at the doors to get out. Great clumps of hay were blazing, but Deeks worked his way past them, trying to see through the smoke, coughing as it burned his throat. The first stall he reached held the little mare named Peaches. Her eyes were wild, and she bolted toward the light outside when he swung the stall door open. Lady, the big chestnut mare in the next stall was kicking the door with her hind feet and Deeks spoke softly to her hoping she'd stop. She finally swung around to face him and whinnied. He opened the door and stepped back as she raced past him and out into the meadow. Deeks could barely breathe and his eyes streamed with tears from the smoke, but he couldn't stop. He had to get them all out, so went about his task methodically, opening each stall door in turn, working his way around the barn by feel, unable to see much because of the heavy smoke. Flames lapped around the back stall on the far side, and the big pinto colt inside looked terrified, trying to stay as far away as it could from the flames engulfing the back of the barn. When Deeks finally got the stall door open, the horse knocked him to the ground as it rushed to save itself. Flaming pieces of wood started falling all around him, and he looked up to see that the fire had reached the roof. Crawling on hands and knees he made it to the last two stalls, grateful he was able to free the last of the frightened animals.

"Sonofabitch!"

His curse was muffled as he pressed his arm across his face, trying to block out some of the smoke. Stumbling toward the opening, which was now surrounded by roaring flames, he took one last shallow breath and charged through the fire, the heat almost unbearable. He fell to his knees coughing, listening to the whooshing flames as they consumed Elan's old barn. He was exhausted and angry, fighting the urge to vomit. Someone had done this, and his mind flew immediately to the Kemps.

"You fucked up our plan, asshole."

Before Deeks could react to the voice above him he was kicked hard in the ribs, sending him tumbling over onto his side in the dirty melting snow. His eyes were blurry from the smoke, but he could make out that he was an Indian, and it confused him.

"You a friend of that big Arapaho bastard?" The man asked.

"What did Elan ever do to you?" Deeks asked, as he gathered himself for a fight.

"That'd take too long to answer…"

Deeks rolled onto his knees and exploded off the ground, rushing the guy with all the energy he had left. The man looked surprised when he plowed into him, grunting as he took him to the ground. He wasn't a big man, but he was solid, and Deeks had his hands full as the man fought back. He thought he was winning until he heard a voice behind him. The kick was hard and well placed, taking the air from his lungs and leaving him coughing in pain, face down in the snow. Multiple kicks followed, raining down in quick succession. One vicious blow to his head left him barely conscious and bleeding.

His mind was sluggish, but he could hear them talking. There were three of them, and they were deciding what to do with him, and it wasn't anything good. He groaned as he struggled to rise, but he was clubbed with a rifle and collapsed.

"Let's drag 'im back in the barn. They'll think he died trying to get the horses out."

"I told ya', Tyler. I ain't killin' nobody," a man with a raspy voice argued. "Not enough money in it to do that."

"This fuck can identify us."

"He's right, Charley."

Deeks tried to crawl away, but he didn't get far before they grabbed his arms and started dragging him toward the burning barn. He resisted, managing to get his feet under him until the man leading the way to the barn turned and kicked him solidly in the stomach. He was dead weight now, and struggled to remain conscious as the men on either side once again dragged him over the muddy ground toward the flames. The sound of rapid rifle fire shocked him, but he felt no pain. The men dropped him and he could hear them running, one firing back at whoever had come. It was the last thing he heard before his mind went numb from pain and exhaustion. Finally, the world went blessedly dark.

…

…


	8. Chapter 8

**Choices**

_Chapter 8_

…

Soldier pointed out the drifting smoke just before they turned off Jack Creek Road toward the ranch. Elan tightened his grip on the wheel and yanked George's truck onto the barely discernible track that would take them up to his cabin. They rarely used it except to haul supplies or horse trailers, but it would get them there fast if it didn't rattled their brains loose first. Soldier gripped his arm once when the truck fishtailed in the snow, and it hurt to see the look on his face. He wanted to find some comforting words, but nothing came to mind that wouldn't be a lie. As he fought the wheel, he tried to think of what might be burning other than his ranch, and felt his muscles harden and his stomach constrict into a knot. His small spread was the only one up this way, and he felt the pain of loss even before he gunned the truck over the last rise.

The scene before him was surreal. He felt as if he were watching a movie. Stray horses were pacing around the meadow in widening circles. He could hear them calling to one another. But it was the turbulent, leaping flames engulfing the old barn that tore at his heart. The fire screamed as if it were a living thing in unbearable pain.

"Papa?" He could hear the anguish in his son's voice and see the heartbreak in his tears.

The sharp crack of a rifle shocked him, and he gunned the engine, tearing up past the last of the aspens and racing along the fence line. At the edge of the trees, a man was standing up in his stirrups, firing from horseback at someone by the barn. The truck slid sideways in the snow as he turned the corner and raced along the side of the pasture fence. He could just make out three men running for cover toward the stand of dark pines, their shapes silhouetted against the raging fire.

"Molly's here," his son shouted when he hit the brakes and skidded to a stop.

Elan paid no attention as he slammed out of the truck, his mind and eyes focused on the man lying crumpled on the ground just outside the barn. Dark orange flames reached out toward his body like fiery fingers hungry for something else to consume.

"Marty!"

He screamed his name as he rushed to reach him before the fire did. The withering heat was daunting, and the smoke blinding as he dropped down beside him and pulled him over onto his back. His face was bloody and almost black with soot, but he was breathing. Elan got his hands under his arms, and hurried to pull him away from the flames. When he finally got him halfway to the cabin he stopped and eased him down into the snow. Kneeling beside him, he lifted him in his arms. When he looked up Soldier stood by Deeks' feet with a stunned expression on his face.

"Papa?" He whispered. "Is he gonna be okay?"

Elan didn't know, so he said nothing for the moment as he held Deeks' overheated body. He hadn't realized there were others gathering around him until a woman with a French accent began giving orders.

"Bring water, petit ami. Molly, wet a towel. We need to clean the soot out of his eyes. Vite, maintenant!"

"Who are you?" Elan asked as she began to unbutton Deeks' dirty wet shirt.

"I am Molly's mother, Alison," she replied.

"No way to save your barn," a dark haired, bearded man said, looking down on him from his horse, the barrel of his hunting rifle pointed at the sky.

Elan had never seen the man before, but he'd run off the men who'd done this and he suddenly felt weak with gratitude.

"I don't know who you are, but thank you," Elan said.

"Name's Dalton Kemp," he replied. "I'm the man who swore out a complaint against you for trespassing."

Elan became very still, unsure how to respond to information that made no sense in light of what just happened. He felt Soldier beside him, his hand brushing across his shoulder as he passed him a bottle of water. Molly was on his other side, gently beginning to clean the blood and soot from around Deeks' swollen eyes and face, while her mother took the water bottle and held it to his lips.

"Get off our land!" Soldier suddenly shouted and walked toward the man before Elan could stop him.

"Soldier," Elan said. "He saved Marty's life."

"He had you arrested for coming on his land, Papa," Soldier replied, his fists pressed against his legs. "So I don't want him on ours."

"My husband is the one who wanted your father charged, Soldier," Alison Kemp said. "Molly and I came here to apologize. Dalton didn't want us to come alone."

Deeks began to cough, diverting them from the stand off. Tears streaked down his face through the stubborn soot, his eyes bloodshot red.

"Drink some water, Mr. Deeks," Alison said. "It will help."

He didn't respond, looking disoriented and utterly exhausted. He did manage to drink some of the water, and it seemed to revive him. He smiled when he saw Soldier, but then frowned as if he'd forgotten something.

"Are the horses okay?" He croaked out weakly. "I got Peaches out…and Lady…"

"You got them all, Cuz," Elan said, patting him gently on the chest. "Just take it easy."

"The guys who did this…I think one of them knew you, Elan," he said.

"They were Indians, I can tell you that," Dalton said.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Deeks asked, struggling up out of Elan's arms.

"Believe it or not, he's the one who scared those bastards off," Elan said.

"Seriously?"

Deeks choked out a curse before lapsing into a coughing fit, and losing his breakfast. He reached out for Elan and he helped him to his feet. Alison pressed the bottle of water into his hand, and he absently drank it all down. He swayed slightly when he was finished, staring off at the burning barn as the roof collapsed, spewing brilliant, fiery sparks up into the dirty clouds of smoke.

"I'm so sorry, Elan," he whispered.

"When you get back from your honeymoon, you can help me build another one," Elan said. "Now, let's get you to the hospital. You don't look so good, Cuz."

"What if they come back?" Deeks asked. "If no one's here they could set fire to the cabin, Elan."

"You and Soldier should stay," Alison Kemp said. "I can drive him to the hospital in Rawlins."

"Don't think Dad would like that much," Dalton said.

"If he's unhappy with my decision he can tell me himself," she said, her stubbornness reminding Elan of Lily. "Right now, this man needs medical help, and it's the least I can do."

"What the hell does that mean?" Dalton asked.

"If you hadn't had this man arrested, he would have been here to defend his property," she said. "And if he had been here I doubt those men would have gotten anywhere near the barn. Maintenant, dégage de mon chemin."

"What? You know I don't understand that French stuff," Dalton said.

"She told you to get out of her way," Elan said, smiling softly at Alison. "A little advice, Dalton? I've learned it's best not to argue with a French woman. They always win."

"You have experience with French women, Monsieur Hand?"

"Just one," he replied. "And it was one of the best experiences of my life."

"Ah, oui. You were in love," she said.

"Come on Deeks. Let's get you to the truck," Elan said, unwilling to talk about his lost love. "Soldier…start rounding up the horses."

"I'll help," Molly said.

"I need to get you back home," Dalton said, looking exasperated at being ignored.

"Then help with the horses and we'll get back sooner," she said, mounting her sorrel. "Soldier can ride mom's gray."

"Let me help my uncle to the truck first," Soldier said, as Elan pulled Deeks' arm across his shoulder.

The two of them walked Deeks slowly toward the truck, holding him steady whenever he stumbled on the snowy ground. Alison walked ahead of them, and Elan was grateful for her kindness, admiring her spirit and determination to help. She was about his age, and beautiful. He couldn't help but wonder what had drawn her to someone like Sheffield Kemp, who had to be at least twenty-five years older than her, and from what he could tell, was a complete bastard.

Deeks groaned softly as they settled him in the passenger seat. Elan was sure the fight had left him with a cracked or broken rib, and he felt his anger rising.

"Thanks for saving my horses, Cuz," he said, squeezing Deeks' shoulder gently.

"Wish I had gotten here earlier," Deeks replied.

"Was Dalton right? Were they Indian?" Elan asked.

"Yeah, they were. I heard the name Charley, and one called Tyler. I asked him why and he said it was too long a story to tell."

"Tyler? You sure?" Elan asked, his anger full force now.

"You know him?"

"Bella had a cousin named Tyler Yellowsky. He lived with them for a while," he replied. "Never liked the guy, and he never liked me. Thought Soldier didn't belong with me. Heard he became a small time meth dealer on the Rez."

"Why would he do this Papa? If he's family," Soldier asked.

"He's always been a bitter man, son. Mean too," Elan said, clasping the back of his neck. "Thought he was owed something, but didn't want to work for anything. Bella's dad kicked him out after he stole some money from him. He lives somewhere up in the mountains. I'll find him."

"Don't go after him on your own, Elan," Deeks said. "He won't be alone, and he might not even be the guy."

"You just take care of yourself, Cuz," he replied. "I can take care of myself."

"You have a son who needs you, Monsieur Hand," Alison said as she started the engine. "Let the local authorities find those men."

"The Rez is a separate country, Mrs. Kemp," He said. "Local law enforcement isn't welcome there anymore than I'm welcome on Kemp land."

"C'était très malpoli, Monsieur Hand," she said, and there was sadness in her voice.

"You're right. It was a rude thing to say," Elan said. "But it is true."

"Of course, but I am trying to make amends," she said. "Please accept my attempt."

"He's usually nicer than this, but, it's been a rough couple of days," Deeks said, showing some irritation. "Your husband had him arrested and he just lost his barn. That'll make anyone a little pissed, don't you think?"

"Now who's being rude?" Elan said lightly.

"Sorry. Head hurts. Hell…just to clarify…everything hurts," Deeks said, and started coughing again.

Alison looked over at Elan, and there was kindness in her eyes. It struck him hard. As much as he wanted to dislike the Kemp family, he couldn't dislike her or her daughter.

"Take it easy going down to the road. I think he might have a broken rib," Elan said as he closed the door to the truck. "And thanks for this, Mrs. Kemp."

"S'il vous plaît. Je m'appelle Alison," she said, smiling softly.

"Okay…Alison. I'm Elan."

"And my name is Marty Deeks, and I'm not feeling so good," Deeks said, flashing a smile at Elan. "We should go before I throw up all over the inside of George's truck."

Elan stood back as Alison turned the truck around and headed for the rough track down to Jack Creek Road. He suddenly felt a rush of adrenaline making him agitated once again. Deeks had almost been killed, and quite possibly by a man he had known, and who was Soldier's cousin. None of it made sense. Coming so close after the killings last night, it was hard to believe they weren't somehow connected. How, he had no idea, and why remained a confusing mystery to him. Tyler had never liked him, but then he didn't like most people, but was that enough to cause him to act out now…to try and destroy what he and Soldier had built together? Those men had intended for the horses to die in the fire, and they would have if Deeks hadn't gotten here when he did. It was a vengeful act, and to cover their tracks they'd tried to kill a man who'd become his brother. He looked away from the smoldering remains of his barn, searching for the man who had stopped that from happening. Dalton was a Kemp, but he had done the right thing. He had saved Deeks' life, and he owed him for that.

Elan started walking out across the meadow toward the milling horses. Soldier had gotten a rope on one of the yearlings and a couple of the others were following them back toward the fenced pasture. Molly had managed to rope Peaches and it impressed him, and Soldier, if his smile was any indication. But Elan kept his eyes on Dalton Kemp. He'd gotten one yearling secured already, but was having trouble with the big red mare Soldier called Lady. Whenever the man got close to her, she would trot away, snorting and kicking up her heels in agitation. She'd definitely been traumatized and Elan was worried for her foal. He started to jog toward them, but stopped when Dalton slowly eased himself out of his saddle and dropped his reins on the ground. His horse was obviously well trained and didn't move. Elan was impressed, so he stopped to see what the man would do next. Dalton slowly approached the big mare, who had swung around to face him as he approached, her ears flat against her head. She whinnied loudly and backed up, lowering her head and pawing the ground as she watched him come. Dalton spread his arms out wide and began to talk softly to her. Her ears pricked forward and she raised her head high. When he stopped, she snorted, curious as to what this man wanted. She took a tentative step toward him and he held his hand out to her. She bobbed her head a couple of times and then moved slowly toward him. She nickered at him, but still he waited unmoving. When she reached him, she snuffled his hand, and he reached up and cupped her cheek and the mare became calm, closing her eyes as she lowered her head. Dalton moved closer to rub his hands over her neck and by the time Elan reached them the mare was groaning and content.

"You have a good touch with horses," Elan said.

"We get along," he replied. "Probably should get a lead on her though, before she changes her mind and kicks the shit outa me."

"No need," Elan said, taking a handful of her mane and walking her back toward the remains of the barn.

Dalton gathered up the reins of his horse and followed him.

"The fire might spook her," Dalton said.

"She was raised hands on," he replied. "She feels safe now that someone is with her that she trusts."

"She's a beautiful mare," Dalton said. "You selling the foal?"

"Keeping it in the family."

"I'd be interested if she has another," Dalton said.

"I do owe you," Elan said, stopping to consider what he'd just said. "Her foal was gonna be a gift for my cousin's little boy. But after today, I think you should have it…my gift to you for the life of my brother."

"You're kidding right?" The man said, stopping in his tracks.

Elan stopped too, and looked at the man. He seemed surprised by the kindness and by the offered gift.

"You're serious," Dalton said.

"Marty would tell you I'm always serious."

"Deeks saved my brother yesterday," Dalton said as he stared at the ground. "Purty can be an idiot sometimes, but he's still my little brother, and I'm grateful he's still alive… thanks to…your brother."

"That sounded hard for you to say," Elan said and started walking again.

"Sounds like some story…you know," he replied. "An Arapaho and a hippy."

Elan laughed and shook his head. "He's a surfer, not a hippy."

"Anyway…I'd like to hear how a blond surfer came to be brother to an Indian," Dalton said. "No offense, but that ain't normal for most white men."

"I don't hold his color against him and he doesn't care what color I am," Elan said. "When you're in a fight for your life it really doesn't matter. We're blood brothers in every sense of the word. And believe me…we both bleed the same color."

Dalton didn't say anything, just gave him a quizzical look and started walking his horse and the yearling toward the pasture gate. This morning he'd felt nothing but animosity toward the man, but now Elan realized there was something more to Dalton Kemp other than his bigotry. He hadn't hesitated to come to Deeks' aid, and Elan found it hard to dislike a man who loved horses. Maybe they'd both learned something today about judging another man too quickly.

Once all the horses were in the fenced pasture, Soldier said his goodbyes to Molly and with some prodding, shook Dalton Kemp's hand. The man asked Elan again if he was honestly giving him Lady's foal, and thanking him when he said it was a promise. Soldier looked surprised, but didn't object. After the two rode out of sight, Elan pulled his phone, calling Kensi as he stood solemnly in front of the still burning logs of what was once the first barn on the Atwood Ranch.

"Hey, Kensi…is George with you?" he asked, unsure how to tell her that her husband had almost died.

"Yeah…we're in the waiting room. What's up?" She asked, but he could hear the suspicion in her voice.

"Put me on speaker. Don't think I want to tell this story more than once."

"Where are you, Elan?" George asked.

"My place. Someone burned down the old barn, George," he replied, suddenly shaken as he recalled his fear when he saw Deeks on the ground.

"The horses?" George whispered.

"Marty got them all out," he said, but choked on the words.

"Tell me he's okay, Elan," Kensi demanded.

"He will be," he replied. "He's on his way to you at the hospital. He ran into the three bastards who set the fire. They beat him pretty bad."

"But he's well enough to drive himself," Kensi said.

"Alison Kemp is driving him."

"Really?"

He spent the next few minutes recounting all that had happened and his sadness returned with the telling. He had loved that old barn. It was part of their heritage on this land. Losing it made him angry, and as they asked him questions, his anger grew, especially when he got to the part about the attack on Marty.

"George…I think it was Tyler Yellowsky."

"Why would he do that?"

"None of this makes sense, but if it was him, I'll find him," Elan said.

"Talk to your Uncle Jim," George advised. "He's knows most of the tribal police. They might know where he's hold up."

"What about the local sheriff?" Kensi asked. "Shouldn't they be informed?"

"I'll leave that up to you, Kensi," Elan replied. "I've had my fill of cops today, and I've got a lot of cleaning up to do here."

With that he ended the call. Soldier was standing by the fence, his arm around the head of the little mare, Peaches. His son wiped at his tears, looking over as he approached. He was a tough kid, and had been through hard times in his young life, but this had shaken him badly, and Elan reached out and pulled him into a hug. It was just the two of them, and no one would see their tears.

…

Kensi was standing under the portico of the ER when she saw George's truck pull up. Deeks' head was resting against the window, his hair tangled and dirty. She took a minute to steady herself before rushing out to reach him. His face was filthy, and her heart fluttered as she reached for the door handle, pausing when she saw the driver walk around the truck and approach her.

"Are you Kensi?"

"Yes…and you're Alison Kemp," she replied. "Elan told me you were kind enough to drive him here. I really appreciate that."

They both turned to see Deeks looking up at them through the window, a weary smile on his dirty face. Kensi opened the door, and Deeks swung his legs around and slid out. She wrapped her arms around him and heard him sigh.

"Hey, Kens…" his words interrupted by a wet sounding cough. "Did Di have her baby?"

"She gave birth a half hour ago. Joe's ecstatic," Kensi said. "Now let's get you to the ER, okay?"

"I want to see the baby," he said.

"Deeks, you're hurt," Kensi said. "The baby isn't going anywhere, and you look like you're about ready to drop."

"I thought I was going to die today, Kens," he said, and ran his hand up through his hair. "I really would like to see that baby girl."

Kensi was surprised by his insistence, unsure where this was coming from. He looked exhausted and the stench of smoke wafted off of him. She doubted they would let him anywhere near the nursery considering the condition he was in. His hands were black with soot and there were smudges of it around his nose and eyes.

"Marty?" George called from the doorway before hurrying out to wrap him in a gentle hug. "Elan told me what you did. Now let a doctor take a look at you."

"He wants to see the baby," Kensi said.

"She's in with Di and Joe right now," George told him. "And the nurses aren't gonna let you near that baby girl looking and smelling the way you do. Now don't argue with me, son. You know you're hurtin'."

With that Deeks gave in, and George took his arm, guiding him into the ER. Kensi hesitated to follow, turning to look at Alison Kemp, who was talking on her cell phone. The woman had shown great kindness, and she wanted to thank her again. She was obviously in an argument, so Kensi turned away to give her some privacy. She was surprised to hear the woman raise her voice and rattle off a series of not so kind remarks to whoever she was talking to, all in beautiful French.

"Pourquoi je reste avec un tel cochon insolent?" Alison asked the sky as she shoved the phone into the pocket of her jeans.

"Parfois nos choix reviennent nous hanter," Kensi said.

"Ah! Vous parlez bien français. As I said, my husband is an insolent pig of a man, but my choice was made for me," she replied. "But yes…the choice does haunt me and always will. I was just not strong or brave enough at the time to seek out another."

"Do you have a way home?" Kensi asked, not wanting to be distracted by the Kemp's marriage problems.

"Yes. Thank you for asking," she said. "My husband's son, Collingwood, is here visiting his brother Purty. Apparently he is willing to drive me home."

"I wanted to thank you again," Kensi said earnestly. "And please let Dalton know how grateful we are for what he did today. There really aren't enough words to thank him for saving my husband."

"We were all shocked by what was happening when we rode up," she replied. "Then Dalton started shooting at those men. It surprised me. I don't like guns, but this time I was glad he had brought one. I think he might have even hit one of them."

"I'll pass that on," Kensi said. "It might help the authorities find them."

"Deeks told me you're on your honeymoon," Alison said. "Félicitations. You were all he talked about on our way here. His words and his expression left no doubt that he loves you very much."

Kensi was stunned when the woman step forward and gave her a gentle hug. "You have been blessed. Now go be with him. He thought he would never see you again, and I think that was a very painful feeling for him."

Kensi suddenly felt an urgent need to be with Deeks. She left Alison Kemp standing by George's truck and hurried through the doors of the emergency department. They had been through plenty of firefights together, and had always had each other's backs. But this time, he'd been all alone. This time she hadn't been there. This time what happened had been unexpected and in a place they both had come to love. The ranch had always been a haven for Deeks, a place he'd found a family, a place where you didn't have to watch your six. That peaceful place had now been violated for a second time, and Deeks had almost died again. She stopped just outside the bay where they were treating him, reaching for the counter by the nurses' station. She realized her hands were shaking, and she gripped the counter hard, waiting for that sinking feeling to go away, waiting for her adrenaline to slow, and the bitter taste of it to fade. She'd almost lost him before they ever made it to their honeymoon. That wasn't supposed to happen. This was just supposed to be a rest stop, not a life or death situation that mirrored their life on the job. And, stopping here had been her idea. What if he'd been killed? The possibility had always been a constant in their lives, but that possibility wasn't supposed to happen here. Not again. She found she was angry with herself for not seeing the possibility. Her instincts told her that the attack on Elan's place was somehow connected to what had happened at the cabin and with the killings on Kemp's land last night. The Kemps were either the perpetrators or the targets. It was the only explanation, and she now had a vested interest in finding out which.

…

…


	9. Chapter 9

**Choices**

_Chapter 9_

…

Deeks kept his eyes on Kensi as the doctor prodded him and asked questions. He could tell how bad he looked by the startled look on his wife's face when the nurse helped him off with his shirt. He was grateful for the pain pills, and especially for the oxygen mask, the only problem was that Kensi couldn't see his smile. He wanted to reassure her that he was all right, or would be when they let him take a shower. He felt grimy and gritty all over. He reached up to lower the mask, but the nurse who was trying to clean him up, shot him a warning glare and pushed it back on. He had to admit the oxygen made him feel better, and he was getting tired of going off on a coughing jag every ten minutes. The doctor wanted to get an x-ray to make sure his ribs weren't broken, and to see if his lungs were damaged, the thought of that scaring him just a little. They'd already drawn blood for some other test, and all of it was making him tired and a little irritable.

"Looks like you got in a few punches of your own," the doctor said as the nurse cleaned the soot from his hands.

"Looks like he got the shit beat out of him if you ask me," Joe said as he joined Kensi and George, all of them staring at him as if he might fall over any second.

He pulled the oxygen mask down and grinned. "I'm good, guys. Really…I am."

"Yeah, right," Joe said, the flexing muscle in his jaw signaling just how deeply angry he was. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, brother."

Deeks fended off another attempt by the nurse to reset his oxygen mask. "You were a little busy, don't you think? Di needed you."

"You're right, but it doesn't mean I'm not pissed off about what they did to you," Joe said.

"But you got to be there when your baby girl was born," Deeks said. "I'm okay, Joe. I'm tough, remember?"

But as soon as the words were out of his mouth he started coughing, aggravating the pain in his ribs. The doctor told someone to bring over the portable x-ray machine before coming around and lifting his legs, forcing him to lie back on the gurney. Lying down felt good. He was feeling every bruise on his body, and found it hard to take in a breath without wheezing a little. His throat burned and he attempted to make a joke about not being able to sing for a while, but felt his stomach turn over. The nurse was quick to get to him before he threw up all over himself and the floor. He managed a grateful smile for her efforts.

"Sorry," He croaked.

"Common side affect, Mr. Deeks. Now stay still while we take the x-ray," the doctor said. "Blurry images won't do either of us any good."

When they were done, Kensi took his hand and he suddenly felt as if he were floating. The room seemed to dim and images of panicky, screaming horses and engorged flames flooded his mind. He felt the onset of panic, and his anger roared back to life as he relived the fire.

"Sonofabitch," he choked out.

Curses rumbled out as he mentally fought the men trying to drag him back into the fire. He could feel hands on him, and he shoved them away, rising up to defend himself.

"Deeks?" He could hear the concern in Kensi's voice, but he was caught up in the images in his head. "Hey, baby. Look at me. It's over, Deeks. I'm here, and so are George and Joe."

He opened his eyes, and felt a flood of relief, listening as the doctor ordered the nurse to increase his oxygen flow. George laid a hand on his shoulder and pushed him gently back down on the gurney.

"You're safe, son. You're safe, and so are the horses," his calm voice helping to anchor him to the present.

"It's not unusual for someone suffering from smoke inhalation to become mentally confused," the doctor said. "I'd like to keep him overnight so we can monitor him."

"Of course. Thank you," Kensi said.

Deeks pulled the oxygen mask down once again and looked at the doctor. "Can I see Joe's baby before you check me in?"

"Maybe later, Mr. Deeks," he replied. "I'll come talk to you in your room and we can discuss it, okay?"

"Copy that, Doc," Deeks said, disappointed, but too exhausted to argue.

He'd had to endure the six stitches they put in the cut over his eye, but within the hour he'd had a nice hot shower and was comfortably ensconced in a small room with a window that looked out over the parking lot. It was almost dark outside, which surprised him. It had been a long day. Joe finally left to be with Di after grilling him for more details, and it took some convincing to get George and Kensi to go get some dinner. After they left, a nurse came in to replace the oxygen mask with a nasal cannula, and the doctor stepped in briefly to let him know his lungs looked clear, and that his ribs weren't cracked or broken, only badly bruised. Once he was alone he allowed himself to relax, and finally drifted off to sleep. He wasn't sure how long he slept when he heard voices and opened his eyes. The room was dimly lit and he didn't know the man standing in the doorway, but he looked familiar. He was tall and thin faced, his expression hard yet disinterested. Deeks got the impression that he practiced that look.

"What can I do for you?" He asked.

Purty Kemp walked around the unknown man and hesitated. "Alison told us somebody beat you up. You look like hell, dude."

"If it wasn't for your brother, Dalton, I probably wouldn't even be here," Deeks said.

"That's what Alison said," Purty said, glancing back at the man by the door. "This is my brother, Colly."

"You know I don't like to be called that," the man said stiffly. "My name is Collingwood Kemp, Mr. Deeks. Now we really should be going, Purty. As you can see, the man is fine."

"I think I owe you a shirt," Deeks said. "Molly loaned me one of yours at the cabin."

"Don't bother returning it," the man said. "I only take old ones up there."

It was a small dig, but Deeks felt it. The man seemed to find pleasure in the slight, so Deeks held his gaze until Purty stepped between them.

"Heard you almost got your ass thrown in the fire," Purty said, ignoring his brother. "Shit, city boy. You must have really pissed them off. Any idea who they were?"

"They were Indians from what I've heard," Collingwood said. "Probably had some falling out with that Arapaho over drugs. Payback, I think they call it."

"I suggest you reconsider that comment, Collingwood," Deeks said, pronouncing every syllable of his name slowly and precisely. "Because Elan doesn't do drugs. Never has. Any suggestion that he does is a flat out lie."

"I didn't mean to upset you, Mr. Deeks," he replied smoothly. "I'm not really interested in becoming involved…with any of those people. I am curious though. Why did you?"

"I have a feeling you wouldn't understand if I told you," Deeks said. "Thanks for dropping by, Purty."

Collingwood Kemp's face flashed with irritated contempt, but he hid it quickly before stepping out of the room.

"I think Colly was born with a stick up his ass," Purty whispered.

"If I was in better shape, I'd have pulled it out for him," Deeks replied, his anger simmering after the man's remarks.

"Yeah…you could probably take him," Purty laughed. "He's never been a hands-on fighter. Comes at you sideways, kinda like dad."

"Listen, Purty. Keep and eye on Molly. Those guys at the cabin might have been after her," Deeks warned.

"No shit? Why?"

"Not sure exactly. Ransom maybe. But somebody killed Harley and Bryce to keep them quiet about something," Deeks said. "Molly was the only target worth taking. Those two might have followed her there, or had the cabin staked out."

"You're serious," he said.

"The sheriff thinks so too, so you might want to warn your family," Deeks said. "Have there been any threats that you know of?"

"Stay out of our business, Mr. Deeks," Collingwood said as he stepped back inside the door. "My family is none of your concern. Am I clear?"

"He's just trying to help, Colly," Purty said.

"Your sister could be in danger," Deeks said. "Doesn't that concern you?"

"She's my half sister," he said. "And I'm not interested in your half baked opinion."

"Come on, Colly. He's a Federal agent," Purty said. "He knows what he's talking about."

"I doubt that."

"You may not like me or my family, but don't let that blind you to the possibility that someone might be targeting your family," Deeks urged. "Four men died, and that's not an opinion, it's a fact. If Molly was the target of a failed kidnapping attempt, it could be the reason all those men were murdered…to cover the tracks of whoever was behind it."

"I'm leaving, Purty, and if you want a ride, I suggest you come now or find another way home," the man said, and walked out of the room.

"Sorry, dude," Purty said. "Colly can be a real dick sometimes."

"You were there, Purty," Deeks said. "Try and make him understand. At least warn your father and especially Molly. She needs to be careful. Don't let her go anywhere alone."

"Me and Dalton will look after her," Purty assured him. "Take care of yourself, city boy. We ain't the only family that might be a target."

After Purty left, Deeks went over everything Collingwood had said. The man was the mirror image of his father, with the same bigoted take on the world. It's why he seemed so familiar when he first walked in. But, Purty was right. The Kemps weren't the only family being targeted. If the two attacks were connected, he couldn't see how. At least not yet.

"You up for a visitor?" Sheriff Sogard asked from the doorway.

"It's been a busy night," Deeks replied. "You just missed the charming Collingwood Kemp and Purty."

"Can't say I'm sorry about that," he said. "But, I am sorry about what happened to you and to Elan Hand's barn. Went by to see the damage for myself. Elan said you heard some names mentioned during the attack. Want to share? Elan wouldn't tell me."

"There were three of them, but I only heard two names. Tyler and Charley," Deeks said. "Not much to go on."

"He said you thought they were Indian," Sogard said. "That true?"

"Yeah, they were," Deeks answered, wondering why Elan didn't tell the sheriff who he suspected.

"He's knows 'em, doesn't he?" The sheriff said.

"He thinks he might," Deeks admitted.

"Why wouldn't he tell me that?" Sogard said. "He's not planning to retaliate is he? Cause I can't let that happen."

"Then you better talk to Jim Littleshield. He's the only person Elan might listen to."

"You mean the same old man who helped trample a man to death to protect his family?"

"Don't go there, okay? Unless you want to watch me throw up," Deeks warned. "That's what I did when I finally found out."

"Well, we do have that in common," Sogard replied. "If those three hightailed it to the Rez, my hands are pretty much tied to some extent, unless I can convince the tribal police to let me in. But if Elan goes after them and catches them off Indian land, he'll be in deep trouble if he opts for payback. You tell him that. I tried, but he answered in Arapaho, which I don't understand. Doubt he said anything I wanted to hear."

"Probably not," Deeks said. "But Jim Littleshield is a tribal elder and well respected on the reservation. If one of those men is hiding out there, he can ask the tribal police to arrest him."

"I hope that's how it goes down," Sogard said. "Can you get Hand to give me a name? If the guy has a record, I'll have a mug shot. If you ID him, case closed."

"Elan thinks it might be a man named Tyler Yellowsky," Deeks said. "I'm not sure why Elan didn't share that."

"Sure didn't make my life any easier. I'll check him out," he said. "Between the attack on you and the four murders I'm investigating, me and my deputies are gettin' run ragged."

"Thought your game warden friend was helping?"

"When he can," the sheriff replied. "But he has to cover thousands and thousands of acres to do his job, so any help he can give me is limited. But, he was kind enough to locate where those snowmobiles ended up after leaving the scene last night. An old elk camp just outside the Kemp's property line. The shooters must have left a truck there. They also left blood."

"You running the DNA?"

"As we speak," Sogard said. "We'll get the sonofabitch."

"I tried to warn Collingwood that his family might be the target, but he didn't want to hear it."

"Well, Sheffield Kemp did," Sogard said. "He blamed his neighbor. Wayman Lester. Kemp sued him over a boundary dispute last fall and won. The man lost over a thousand acres of prime timber. Was stupid enough to write Kemp a threatening letter. Claims the Kemps bribed the surveyor among other things. Even claimed they forged documents. After he lost in court, Lester vowed revenge."

"You think he's the kind of man who would kidnap a teenage girl to get back at her father?" Deeks asked.

"He's never been in trouble that I know of, but losing a large part of a ranch that's been in your family for generations might make a man go a little crazy."

"Crazy enough to have a deputy sheriff and three others killed because his kidnapping plan failed?"

"That would be a big long step over the line, that's for sure," Sogard said. "No question he's worth checking out."

"If he is responsible, don't confront him alone," Deeks warned. "Take back up. Same goes for Tyler Yellowsky."

"I appreciate the concern. Sure you don't want to move to Wyoming?" Sogard said. "I could definitely find a place for you in my department."

"I'm a surfer and a California boy, sheriff," Deeks laughed. "No ocean. No Deeks."

"Thought you liked it here."

"I love it, but I already have a good job with a partner I love…literally," Deeks replied. "She loves her job in LA, and I don't want her to file for divorce before we even go on our honeymoon."

"Not much of a honeymoon so far from what I can see," Sogard said.

"Yeah, no…you're right. Spending the night in a hospital alone isn't exactly what I had in mind," Deeks replied, regretting how everything had turned out.

"When are they releasing you?"

"Tomorrow morning," Kensi said as she walked in.

"Hey, Sunshine," Deeks said with a weary smile. "Meet Sheriff Tom Sogard."

"Did you find the men who tried to kill my husband?" Kensi asked.

"Whoa, now. I'm good at my job, just not that fast," Sogard said, obviously taken back by Kensi's direct approach. "I came by to see how he's doing and ask a few questions."

"And?"

"I've got a lead of sorts, thanks to your husband," he said.

"Then why aren't you out following it?" Kensi demanded, making Deeks grin at the look on Sogard's face.

"My deputies told me you were beautiful, but they didn't warn me about your crusty nature," the sheriff said.

"I'm not crusty, as you call it. I'm tough," she replied, looking irritated by his assessment.

"She's a ninja assassin, brother," Deeks said. "So be careful, or she'll kick your ass."

"Maybe I ought to hire her as my deputy," Sogard said, a soft smile finally emerging.

"She'd have your back if you did," Deeks said. "But… No Deeks. No Kensi."

"Got it," the sheriff said, reaching out to shake Deeks' hand. "Feel better and enjoy your honeymoon. I'll take it from here."

He gave Kensi a wide berth as he left, leaving Deeks laughing. "Way to make new friends, Sunshine."

"Yeah…well. He needs to catch those guys," she replied, taking his hand and bringing it up to her lips. "If you're up for it, I thought you might like to go see the baby."

"Seriously?"

"We'll have to sneak past the nurses," she said, flashing a conspiratorial smile. "But we've had training in covert ops. Shouldn't be too hard."

"I love you, Mrs. Bleeks," He said, quickly divesting himself of the oxygen cannula.

Quickly disconnecting the other monitors they had on him, he threw back the covers, and slid off the bed into Kensi's arms. He felt a rush as he held her. He had come so close to missing the rest of their lives together, and he blinked back a sudden flush of tears.

"I want to get those guys, baby," she whispered in his ear.

"Yeah…me too," he replied, stepping back to look at her. "But can we see the baby first?"

"Yeah…we can, except for one thing," she said as she looked around at his bare backside. "I love your butt. Others however, might not appreciate those cute little cheeks like I do. They might consider it indecent exposure."

"Indecent? Really?" Deeks asked. "I like that."

"Where do you think you're going, Mr. Deeks?" The night nurse asked, standing in the doorway with her arms crossed, looking like Nurse Ratched from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

"I'm going to see my newborn baby niece if you let me. Please?" He replied, pleading his case with his most earnest smile. "I'm feeling much better…and I took my meds…honest, Nurse Ratched."

"What did you call me, young man?" The women seemed to grow taller with the question.

"Oops…Sorry…"

"I don't appreciate the reference, Mr. Deeks," she interrupted. "In fact, I find it highly insulting."

The woman looked over at Kensi, who took a step in front of him with her hands on her hips. Both women looked formidable, but his money was on his partner.

"Are you his wife?" The nurse asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Yes, I am," Kensi replied.

"And you knew he was a smart ass and married him anyway?"

"Yes, I did."

"She married me for my cute butt cheeks," Deeks said with a wide smile.

"Don't flatter yourself, young man," Nurse Ratched said. "They're average at best."

"That can't be true. Kens? Defend my honor and my butt to Nurse Ratched here."

"He's quite proud of his butt," Kensi explained, with a smirk.

"Most men are, Mrs. Deeks," she replied. "I'll bring him some scrubs. Wouldn't want him to catch pneumonia walking around with his cute ass hanging out."

"See, Kens…she likes my butt, too." Deeks said.

"You do remember that Jack Nicholson was crazy in that movie, right?" The nurse asked.

"His character just pretended to be crazy," Deeks replied. "I do it all the time."

"Now that I can believe," she said, finally smiling. "I suggest you call me Lambert next time. You wouldn't want me to go all Nurse Ratched on you, would you?"

"You're scary," he replied. "She's scary, Kens."

"I'll bring you some slippers to go with those scrubs," the nurse said as she left.

"Now who doesn't know how to make friends," Kensi said. "I thought you liked nurses."

"Sane ones," he replied, wrapping his arms around her as she giggled.

"You must have taken in more smoke than we thought," she replied. "It might have caused a chemical imbalance in your brain. You're hallucinating. Not good."

"You're kidding, right?"

"Maybe," she replied. "But you did just compare your night nurse to a psycho nurse in a movie from the seventies."

"You heard her. She threatened me," he said, watching the door carefully. "I don't think I'll sleep tonight, Kens."

"You started it, Mr. Deeks," Lambert said, walking quickly in the door and handing him a pair of blue scrubs and slippers. "Don't keep him out and about for too long, Mrs. Deeks. He was in pretty rough shape when he got here. Wouldn't want him to relapse and start coughing again."

"Thank you, Nurse Lambert," Kensi said. "Deeks?"

"Thanks, Lambert," Deeks said. "Is there a lock on this door?"

"Only on the outside."

"Really?" Deeks asked.

"Good luck, Mrs. Deeks," the nurse said. "I have a feeling you're going to need it."

"You're mean, Lambert," Deeks said as she walked out of the room.

"Remember that, Deeks," she called back over her shoulder.

"I think you met your match, baby," Kensi said. "Now put on those scrubs and let's go see the new baby."

"She reminds me of Hetty," he replied as he stepped into the scrub pants. "Just taller…way, way taller."

Deeks kept his eyes straight ahead when they walked past the nurses' station, but he caught a sideways glimpse of Nurse Lambert. She was watching him with a slight smile on her face. It softened her features, and he realized their little repartee had cleared his mind of all the crap that had happened over the last couple of days. He looked over and smiled at her, and she smiled back and shook her head. He thought she'd enjoyed their exchanged as much as he had.

The elevator left them with a long walk to the nursery, and he was wheezing a little when they finally reached it. The soft lighting made the glassed-in room look like it was floating. There were only a few babies, so it wasn't hard to find Joe and Diane's newest addition. Little Joy Atwood was pink-faced, her tiny lips burbling bubbles as she slept. She made Deeks smile, and he pulled Kensi close.

"Di did good," Deeks whispered. "Joe's a lucky man."

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" Kensi said.

"That little thing is going to have the men of the Atwood family wrapped around one of her teeny tiny fingers in no time," Deeks said. "They're in big trouble, Kens. She is going to be so spoiled."

"She'll handle it," Kensi said. "Di and I will teach her how to handle men."

"Seriously?"

"It'll be fun," Kensi laughed.

"Wish they didn't live so far away," he said. "It would be great to see her more than two or three times a year. Watch her grow up, you know?"

"Yeah…I know what you mean," she replied, snuggling against his side. "She's a sweetie pie."

"Think we'll ever have one?" He asked, knowing he had crossed a dangerous line.

"Deeks…"

"Too soon?"

"We haven't even gone on our real honeymoon yet, baby," she said, looking up into his eyes.

He didn't want to push her, not wanting her to go on the defensive, or argue. Not tonight. He was hurting, and recalled the danger he'd been in, coming so close to death and to losing everything. The hint of danger still surrounded this family of his. It hovered just out of reach, just beyond his comprehension, but it was there, and he didn't know why. Thinking about the future would be too much of a distraction right now, and he couldn't afford that. Something was going on that might affect all of them. Something evil.

The tiny baby in front of him was all innocence and goodness, a promise for a future that would be full of light and joy. For that promise to be fulfilled, they would all have to be vigilant, because he had seen enough of the world and the people in it to know that things didn't always turn up rainbows. His life certainly hadn't started out with much promise, but then again he hadn't had the kind of parents Josephine Atwood had been blessed with. They would call her Joy, and he wanted to believe that's what she would bring to them and to the whole Atwood family, himself and Kensi included.

"She's awesome, isn't she?" Deeks said.

"Yes she is."

…

…


	10. Chapter 10

**Choices**

_Chapter 10_

…

Deeks felt torn. He was happy to be out of the hospital, but was undecided as to where he wanted to go now that he was. Kensi and George urged him to come back to the ranch, reminding him he wasn't a hundred percent, which he couldn't deny. During the night his mind had constantly strayed to what had happened at Elan's place. He'd struggled to remember more details, focusing on the comments he'd overheard by his attackers, and what the men looked like. The whole thing was a mishmash of recollections. Fire. Smoke. Screaming horses. Searing heat. Pain. And most of all anger and finally sadness.

Elan and Soldier had worked hard to start their own herd, to grow a breeding farm that would secure their future. That smallholding had brought Elan and his son closer together as they worked toward a common goal. Elan had dreamed of a place of his own, and George had helped him get started by deeding him the land. But it was Elan and Soldier's hard work that had built on that legacy, using their innate understanding and love of horses to nurture their small herd of mares and yearlings. Someone had tried to destroy that, and Deeks was consumed by the need to find out who had done that and make sure they didn't do it again.

"I need to see Elan," Deeks finally said, looking from Kensi to George as they stood beside the truck in the hospital parking lot. "If I go back I might be able to remember something that could help find those bastards."

"Are you sure you're up for it?" Kensi asked, running her hand up and down his arm.

"I'm fine, Kens," he replied. "It's not like I'm going into a firefight. I'm just checking in to see how they're doing…and jog my memory."

"Elan and Soldier took turns watching over the place all night," George said, as he climbed in behind the wheel. "He won't leave the place till those men are caught."

"Any new leads?" Deeks asked as he ushered Kensi into the truck and then climbed in beside her.

"Not on the fire, but I heard the sheriff has the name of one of the men who shot down his deputy and the others," George replied.

"How do you know that? Did he call?" Deeks asked.

"It's a small town, son. People talk even if they ain't supposed to," he replied.

"They must have gotten a hit on the DNA from the blood in the snow," Kensi said, as George pulled out onto the road back to Saratoga.

"Do you know who it is?" Deeks asked.

"I heard he's a local," he replied, then settled into silence.

Deeks let the subject drop, at least in conversation. George and Kensi talked about the baby, but she kept looking over at him, searching his face as if judging a suspect. She knew him too well, so he smiled at her, hoping it would make her think he was listening to what they were saying. He wasn't. He was still trying to make sense of why someone, at this particular time, would burn down Elan's barn.

"It was a distraction," he said when they were halfway to Elan's. "It's the only thing that makes sense."

"What's that, son?" George asked.

"Someone wanted to distract our attention from what happened at Kemp's cabin," Deeks said.

"Who?" Kensi asked. "And why?"

"Good question."

"Maybe it's you they want to distract, son," George said. "You're a Federal agent. You were the only one at that cabin with any expertise."

"A lot of people know how close this family is," Kensi mused. "If you're caught up investigating the barn fire, you won't be thinking about who killed all those men and why."

"But why would someone think I was investigating?" He asked. "Us being here isn't official. We're on our honeymoon."

"Did you forget how much cops like to gossip?" Kensi reminded him. "You've probably asked enough questions, and pushed your theories about the investigation so that it's gotten around you're interested in finding the bad guys."

"Do you think someone knew you'd show up at Elan's?" George asked.

"No. There's no way they could have known that," Deeks said.

"But they did try and kill you," Kensi said, reaching over to take his hand.

"Yeah…there's that," Deeks replied.

The distinctive tone of Kensi's cell interrupted them. "What's up, Elan?"

Deeks felt her fingers tighten around his hand and he suddenly felt his stomach drop. Kensi quickly put her phone on speaker. Elan's voice was tight and it wasn't hard to tell he was angry.

"The sheriff's here with a whole detachment of deputies," Elan told them. "Said he got a tip that one of the suspects in the killings was here at my place. I think he believes I'm involved somehow."

"Sonofabitch! How can he believe that?" Deeks said in frustration. "You were at the cabin with a bunch of witnesses, including the local game warden. Hell, one of them was the Saratoga Chief of Police."

"We're coming, Elan," George growled.

"Don't answer any questions till I get there," Deeks said, feeling hollow and pissed off.

"They're searching the house, looking under rocks and behind trees like I'm hiding the guy," he replied. "I told them no one was here, but they don't believed me."

"Hang in there, Elan," Deeks said gently. "We've got your back."

Deeks felt sick to his stomach, and George's face was flush with anger. Kensi just looked intensely focused, like she did when they were on a case. No one spoke until they climbed the narrow access road up to Elan's place. There were four Carbon County Sheriff's SUVs parked haphazardly in front of the cabin, and Deeks could see several officers roaming the property and searching the edge of the trees that butted up against the remains of the burnt out barn. George rarely swore, but he softly let a few choice words loose when they drove up and parked alongside the corral.

"This is all wrong," he said.

"It's serious though, or they wouldn't be here," Deeks said as he slammed out of the truck.

Elan was standing on his porch with Sheriff Sogard and another deputy. Even from a distance, Elan looked ready to explode. Deeks saw no sign of Soldier, and that bothered him, but not as much as the deputy standing behind Elan with a rifle in his hands.

"What are you arresting him for this time, Sheriff?" Deeks asked as he and Kensi stepped up onto the porch.

"He's not under arrest, Deeks, so don't get all hot," Sogard said, putting his hands up to placate him. "We got a tip. You know I have to follow any lead I get."

"You can't seriously think Elan had anything to do with ambushing those four men," Deeks said, working hard to control his anger. "Because there are a lot of witnesses that can prove otherwise."

"I told him that," Elan said.

"You okay?" Deeks asked, noticing he was only wearing a tank top over his jeans and had no boots on.

"They woke me up pounding on the door," he said. "Had all their flashing lights going, too. Looked like a damn circus."

"Where's Soldier?"

"I don't know, and these idiots won't let me look for him," Elan said, real fear showing through the anger.

"Calling me names won't help you," the sheriff said.

"Who gave you the tip?" Kensi asked sharply.

"Anonymous," the sheriff said, looking slightly embarrassed to say it.

"So you charged out here with the cavalry to check out an anonymous tip? Really?" Deeks said, smiling even though he didn't think any of this was funny. "It's not a good idea to lie to a Federal agent."

"Thought you were on your honeymoon," Sogard said, his jaw now defiantly rigid.

"Not anymore. Elan's my brother, so I'm not leaving until you give me a straight answer," he shot back. "Who gave you that tip?"

"The tip was called into Sheffield Kemp," Sogard admitted. "He didn't know the caller."

"And you believed him?" George asked as he mounted the steps, his solid presence making the sheriff take a step back.

"Like I said…I'd be remiss if I didn't check it out," Sogard said. "Just doing my job, Mr. Atwood."

"Or Sheffield Kemp's bidding," George replied.

"Now wait just a damn minute," the sheriff exploded. "I know you don't like the Kemps, and from what I've heard you probably got good reason. A lot of us have. But I got four dead bodies on my hands, and if I get even a slim lead, anonymous or otherwise, I'm going to follow it whether it ruins your day or not. Is that clear?"

"He's right, George. Elan," Deeks said, his expression softening as he looked from one to the other. "We might not like it, but he doesn't have a choice. A cop's dead. He can't let that go."

"Sheriff? What did the caller say? Specifically," Kensi asked, now in full agent mode.

"Said…and I quote, because I wrote it down...'Overheard a couple of guys talking in the alley behind the Elk's Head Bar. Said one of the killers is up at Elan Hand's place.' Unquote."

"That's it? A couple of drunks talking?" Deeks asked. "And that's all it took for you to believe a killer is hiding out up here? That's what Kemp thinks, isn't it?"

"He suggested there's a connection between the shootings and the barn burning," Sogard replied. "He thought there might have been a falling out between the men involved and that they burned down Elan's barn in retaliation for some screw-up."

Elan responded in Arapaho, and took a step toward the sheriff before George put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"He would think that," George said. "But that don't make it true."

"None of it's true," Deeks said. "Maybe not even the so-called tip. We only have Kemp's word there even was a tip."

"He played a recording of it for me, Deeks," Sogard replied. "Surely your not suggesting he faked it."

"Maybe I am," Deeks shot back. "Collingwood Kemp suggested someone burned down Elan's barn because of a falling out over drugs. Doesn't that sound as if they're all a little desperate to implicate Elan? And why would someone call in a tip to Sheffield Kemp? Why not to you, Sheriff?"

"Did you forget that one of the men killed worked for the Kemps?" Sogard asked. "You may not want to believe that tip, but I can't afford not to."

Deeks watched as Elan's face morphed into a hard, stoic mask devoid of emotion. He'd seen it before, when Elan was preparing for a fight. He was turning back into the Army Ranger he'd been during two tours. It was a scary sight if you were on the other side.

"Sheriff…this makes no sense," Kensi said. "You know that, don't you?"

"I know Hand didn't cooperate when I was up here yesterday," Sogard replied evenly. "He didn't give me the name of the man he suspected of setting the fire. Deeks did. That's a little suspicious don't you think?"

Elan turned his attention to Deeks, and his expression wasn't kind. "I wasn't going to implicate a man related to my son until I could check it out for myself. I knew what would happen. It would look a lot like this."

"Sorry, brother," Deeks said.

"I checked our database for Tyler Yellowsky this morning. He's been arrested a few times. Mostly for selling meth," the sheriff said as he pulled his phone. "Here's his mug shot. Is he one of the guys?"

"Yeah…that's one of them," Deeks replied, looking up to see Elan close his eyes and shake his head.

Deeks turned away and stared past the sheriff out toward the remains of the barn. Scattered pieces of conversation replayed in his head, but one comment stood out and it shook him.

"Somebody paid them to set that fire, Sheriff," Deeks said softly. "I remember now. The one they called Charley tried to talk the others out of dragging me into the fire. He said...'I ain't killing nobody.' Then he said…'there's not enough money in it to do that'."

"You sure?" Sheriff Sogard asked, and Deeks nodded.

"He changed his mind when they reminded him I could identify them," Deeks said.

"Doesn't this blow a hole in the Kemps' assertion that Elan was involved in all this?" Kensi said.

"Yes, I suppose it does," Sogard agreed. "Tyler Yellowsky is known to run with a couple of repeat offenders. Take a look at these pics, Deeks. This is Charley Pine. Look familiar? And this mean looking sucker is Benjamin Big Horse."

"That last guy clubbed me with a rifle," Deeks said. "Not sure about Charley Pine. I was too busy trying not to get my ass kicked more than I already was."

Kensi put her hand on his back, and he welcomed the concern and especially the warmth. Recalling how close he came to being burned alive was chilling.

"I'll put out an APB on the three of them," Sogard said.

"Does that mean Elan is free to go?" George asked.

Before the sheriff could answer his walkie-talkie buzzed. Clicking the mic on, they all heard the message. "Sheriff? We got a body."

The sudden anguished cry from Elan was shocking, and froze all of them. "Soldier…"

Even the sheriff realized what Elan had assumed and quickly asked for clarification.

"Found a male, around thirty, with a gunshot wound. Located a quarter klick down the access road and thirty-five yards into the trees."

George wrapped Elan in a powerful hug, but Deeks could see he was shaking almost as badly as he was. The sudden urge to find the boy was overwhelming.

"On my way," Sogard told his man in the field. "I'm glad it's not your son, Elan. I have a boy around his age, so I know that kind of fear."

"Thanks, Sheriff," Elan said, still breathing heavily from the sudden shock.

"Mind some company, Sheriff?" Deeks asked. "Kensi and I have worked a few crime scenes in our day."

"Don't you trust that I have a few skills of my own, Agent Deeks?" he replied.

"Just offering another pair of eyes," Deeks said,

"Make that two pairs of eyes," Kensi added.

"Okay," Sogard said. "But Elan Hand stays here with my deputy. He's not in the clear just yet."

"I'll stay too," George said. "Just in case."

"He won't need your protection, Mr. Atwood," Sogard said. "My deputy isn't gonna shoot him."

"I'm staying to protect your deputy in case Elan decides he's tired of cooperating and goes off to find his son," George replied.

"My deputy is armed, so it wouldn't be a good idea for him to run."

Elan looked back at the nervous deputy, and then over at the sheriff. He said something in Arapaho in a low, gruff voice. In an instant he whirled and yanked the rifle from the young deputy's hands, then turned and handed it to Sheriff Sogard before either he or his deputy could react.

"Don't look so surprised, Sheriff," George said. "He was an Army Ranger before this young fella was out of grade school."

"I'm innocent, Sheriff, and I don't run. I'll wait here with George, but not for long. I need to find my boy," Elan said, and then lowered himself down on the steps. "Keep an eye out for Soldier, Marty. I'm worried. This isn't like him."

"He wouldn't go off to see Molly again would he?" Deeks asked.

"Not sure of anything right now," he replied. "He was on watch early this morning. What if he heard something and went to check it out? What if…?"

"Don't do this to yourself, Elan," Deeks said as gently as he could. "After we clear all this up, we'll go find him together."

Deeks squeezed his shoulder and followed the sheriff down the steps to his SUV. His emotions were raw, and his mind was racing as they drove down toward the crime scene. It was hard to concentrate with Soldier missing, but he had to if he was going to help Elan. There was no doubt in his mind that someone was trying to set him up, and he was afraid it might work. He kept wondering if the Kemps would go so far as to fake a tip just to punish Soldier for becoming friends with Molly. None of this made sense, but there was still a dead body on Elan's property that had to be dealt with. It sure as hell complicated things.

"You know finding that body here doesn't look good for Elan," Sogard said. "I think it might be the shooter Beecher wounded. So I have to question how and why he ended up here."

"Elan would have to be pretty stupid to kill a man and leave the body on his own doorstep, don't you think?" Deeks replied. "And if it's one thing I know…Elan is not stupid."

"Maybe he didn't count on that tip coming in," Sogard reasoned. "Or didn't have time to move or bury the body."

"Maybe that tip was the set up so you'd believe that," Kensi said.

Sogard blew out his breath and shook his head, but said nothing more until they reached a couple of deputies talking by the side of the road. The sheriff parked and shot them a warning look before getting out and walking over to his men.

"He's not happy we tagged along," Kensi said.

"I don't think he's happy to be in the middle of any of this," Deeks said. "Especially the idea of bucking the Kemps."

"You really think they're behind this?" She asked.

"I'm not ruling them out."

"We know Elan is innocent, but the Kemps seem convinced he isn't," Kensi replied.

"They're racists. They want to believe he's guilty," Deeks said with disgust. "It fits their belief that Native Americans are all lowlife trash. They don't want to believe a decent Indian exists."

"That sounded a little bitter," Kensi said, stepping in front of him and putting both hands on his chest.

"Elan doesn't deserve their contempt," he said. "Neither do George or Jim Littleshield, and especially not Soldier. They're good people, Kens. Better than the likes of Sheffield Kemp, and his family."

"Alison and Molly are nice," she said.

"Agreed. Kind too."

"And I think you might have a small soft spot for Purty," Kensi said with a quick grin.

"He did stand up for Soldier and me," Deeks said. "Surprised the hell outa me when he told his father and brother they should thank us for saving him and Molly."

"So maybe they're not all bad," she said.

"They wouldn't let George and Uncle Jim set foot on their property, and had Elan arrested for it," Deeks said. "I'm not ready to forgive and forget, Kens…so don't ask me to."

"It was hard to watch," Kensi admitted. "I felt bad for them."

Kensi had a wounded look in her eyes as she cupped his cheek. Her closeness always made him feel better, no matter what his mood or hers, and his mood today was sour. He pulled her into a hug, needing to draw on the strength she always gave him. It was such a comfort just to hold her.

"Sogard's waving us over," Deeks finally said.

"Should we go, or just stay here and maybe make out in his truck," Kensi replied, finally smiling and making him laugh.

"I think we're in enough trouble without doing that," he said, putting his arm around her and walking toward the sheriff and his men.

"Some honeymoon, Deeks."

"I promise awesome make up sex…just not in the sheriff's backseat."

"Another reason I love you, Mr. Bleeks."

"I knew that name would catch on," Deeks laughed, which quickly faded when he saw the look on Sogard's face. "What's up?"

"One of my officers recognized the dead guy," the sheriff said. "Name's Frankie Leader. It was his blood we found at the scene of the ambush. Grew up here. A troublemaker his whole life. He was released from prison last month after serving a three-year sentence for assault. He's one bad cowboy, that one. Always getting in fights and seemed to like it. None of us figured him for a murderer though. Henry Tarver suspected him of poaching after he got out, but he wasn't able to catch him in the act. My deputy and the other three might still be alive if he had. That's gonna bother Henry big time."

"Whoever arranged what happened up there on Kemp's land, would have just found someone else," Deeks said. "Don't lay the deaths of those four men on Tarver. That wouldn't be fair."

"I've known Henry a long time. He'll still blame himself," Sogard said. "Now all we have to do is figure out how and why Frankie Leader ended up here."

"Did he bleed out?" Kensi asked.

"Not sure what the cause of death is yet," Sogard replied. "The ME is on his way. But, let's go take a look."

They followed the sheriff and his deputy back into the trees, which quickly closed in around them. A thick carpet of pine needles muted the sound of their footsteps as they picked their way around the rough trunks of the lodgepole pines. The deeper into the forest they got the dimmer the light became. It was spooky, but then Deeks had never been overly fond of the forest. What he couldn't figure out was why the man had come here in the first place. The sheriff was wondering the same thing, and trying to figure out if he had come here to meet with Elan, and that question scared him.

Hushed voices ahead meant they were close, and Deeks worked to control his emotions as they approached an opening in the forest. There was a tangle of fallen trees in the middle that looked like pick-up sticks, only they were gray with age. The body lay beneath a row of dead limbs pointed skyward. They resembled the ribs of a prehistoric animal, which added to the haunting peculiarity of the scene. The dead man's right arm was hooked over one of the tree limbs, pulling open the plaid wool jacket he wore. It allowed them to see the blood soaked bandages covering the bullet wound in his side.

"Someone tried to help him," Sogard said. "Just not a professional."

"Looks like the coyotes mighta started on him," one of the deputies said. "Didn't do much damage though, so the body probably hasn't been here that long."

Deeks found that disturbing and moved down toward the dead man's feet. Frankie Leader's knees were muddy and pulled slightly up toward his stomach. That told him the man had walked here and then had either been pushed to the ground or fallen to his knees as he died. Reaching over to brace himself against the fallen tree, he was able to get a look behind the man. What he saw sent a jolt of adrenaline through his veins and he quickly looked over at Kensi, who was staring back at him. He didn't need to say anything. She read him easily and without saying a word, walked over to join him.

"What?" She whispered.

"Look at his back," Deeks said, moving out of her way so she could see the knife wound at the base of the dead man's spine.

"That doesn't mean it was Elan," she said softly, her eyes wide as she looked up at him.

"I know that and so do you," he replied. "But it will make him a suspect."

"You two find something?" Sheriff Sogard asked as he approached.

Deeks hesitated, afraid to speak the words that might mean the arrest of a man he loved like a brother.

"He didn't bleed out," Kensi said, taking the lead, knowing the turmoil Deeks was dealing with. "He was stabbed in the back. He died right here."

Deeks couldn't breathe when he saw the pained look on the sheriff's face. He knew exactly what the man was thinking and what would come next.

"Elan Hand is known to be good with a knife," Sogard said quietly. "I saw just how good all those years ago at the Atwood Ranch when he killed four men with one."

"You'll still have to prove he killed this particular guy," Deeks replied.

"Yes I will, but you knew it would make him a suspect," Sogard said. "It's why you didn't want to tell me what you found."

"There's still a lot of questions to be answered here," Kensi said.

"And we'll do that," the sheriff said, his voice kind, but firm. "But now, you two need to leave. You're family, and I can't justify having you at this crime scene. You both know that."

"Sheriff…" Deeks started as the sheriff unhooked his mic.

"Deeks, help me make this easy on your friend," the sheriff said. "Tell Elan what we found and let him know I have no choice but to arrest him until I find something that exonerates him. And…please…ask him not to hurt my deputy. He's a good kid."

Angry tears pricked Deeks eyes, but he knew he had no choice, nodding in agreement as the sheriff called his deputy.

"Deputy Villers? Agent Deeks needs to speak with Elan Hand," Sogard said.

"Tell me, Cuz," Elan said over the open mic, and Deeks could hear the resignation in his voice.

He explained what they'd found, and Elan remained silent throughout. The only sound Deeks heard was a curse from George, and his pain sharpened.

"Guess I'll need a good lawyer," Elan said when he was finished. "Know any?"

Elan hardly ever made jokes, and that he had the peace of mind to make one now made Deeks smile. He was a man trusting in his own innocence, and one who didn't see the need to protest the injustice he was experiencing. The sheriff looked surprised by the comment, but that look faded quickly into one of regret. Deeks didn't think the sheriff thought Elan was guilty either, and that brought him some relief. But the man still had a job to do.

"Deputy Villers? Please place Elan Hand under arrest as a suspect in the death of Frankie Leader," Sogard ordered.

…

…


	11. Chapter 11

**Choices**

_Chapter 11_

…

He felt jittery as they bumped down past the crime scene, his mind stormy and his emotions raw. Kensi leaned into him and tightly gripped his hand as he stared out the window of George's pickup. Apprehension and a residue of anger seethed in the silence between them as they followed the sheriff's SUV down the rough track road. It was suffocating. Elan had retreated into himself and hadn't said much when they'd been allowed a few minutes to talk with him before the sheriff took him away. Deeks felt the weight of the charges when Elan's brown eyes pierced his resolve to remain calm. He'd seen that look before, and knew Elan was trusting him to save his future. He'd asked him once again to find Soldier, and Deeks made promises. Elan had only nodded, both of them knowing some promises weren't easy to keep.

Bulbous clouds moved across the painfully blue sky, colliding with each other like big grey bumper cars. Their shadows crawled over the hillside and trees, dulling his vision before the sun flashed through the breaks to illuminate the rocky outcropping that delineated the boundary between Elan and George's land. A sudden flash of sun blinded him, and he blinked his eyes. He wiped at them, and for a moment thought he was imagining things. When George slammed on his brakes, he lost sight of what he saw. The SUV ahead of them had swerved to an abrupt halt, and Deeks could see Elan struggling with the deputy in the back seat.

"Sonofabitch!"

He jumped out at the same time as Elan escaped, and Deeks realized he had seen something too. On the rise above them, a blue roan stood just outside a crevice in the rocky face of the hill. A body hung precariously from the saddle on its back.

"Soldier!"

Elan screamed his name and ran for his son, and Deeks and everyone else raced to follow. Blood streaked down the shoulder of the roan and coated the boy's leg. Soldier's long black hair was tangled, covering his face and most of his arm as it hung loosely against the side of the horse. Elan slowed when he reached them, finally stopping when the skittish animal began to back away. The track they were on was narrow and covered with crusty snow, and the roan looked uncertain and ready to bolt. He began to speak Arapaho to the horse, holding his hand out to the nervous animal as he slowly approached. The others gathered around Deeks, and Kensi pressed against his back, her hitched breathing choked with tears.

"Can you tell if he's breathing, son?" George whispered.

Deeks shook his head, his heart tight in his chest as he willed himself not to rush to help, knowing it would spook the horse. Elan finally had the blue roan's attention and it nickered softly as he put the palm of his hand on its nose. He ran his hand down the animal's neck as he moved along beside it to reach Soldier, still speaking his native tongue. When he reached the boy, he faltered, wrapping his arm over his son's back, hugging him as he hung there. George moved past them all, and climbed the slight hill. He took the horse's bridle in hand, keeping the horse calm as Elan slid Soldier off and into his arms. He carried him down, his expression bleak and his eyes furious with fear. He fell to his knees when he reached them, cradling the boy against him.

"He's so cold, Cuz," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Kensi looked heartbroken, her eyes wet from crying as she leaned over to brush Soldier's hair away from his face. His skin was strikingly pale, his face bruised and smudged with dirt. Too much dark blood saturated his shirt. Deeks knelt down, his fingers shaking as he reached out to check for a pulse while Kensi pressed her sweatshirt against the ugly wound in Soldier's stomach.

"No!" Soldier screamed, coming awake fighting.

Elan looked stunned, then blew out his anxiousness, and began speaking to him quietly in Arapaho. He pulled the boy closer to his chest, holding him until he stopped struggling.

"I got you, son," Elan whispered. "You're safe, Soldier. I've got you now."

"Papa?" Soldier called out, panting and whimpering in pain as he clung to his father. "I'm sorry, Papa…I tried..."

"Shh, son. You got nothing to be sorry for…nothing," Elan murmured, as he cradled his head.

"I love you, Papa…" He whispered, and suddenly went limp.

Elan panicked, desperately crying out in Arapaho until George gripped both his shoulders. "He just passed out, Elan. Now stay strong like your boy."

Sogard and his men had surrounded them, and the sheriff reached over and gently touched Elan. "I called in a MedEvac chopper. There's one heading back from a canceled call in Saratoga. They've got EMTs on board."

"I hope they get here soon. He's lost a helluva lot of blood," Deeks said.

"We should get him down to Jack Creek Road," Sogard said. "My men will halt traffic so the chopper can land. He'll be in the ER within twenty minutes."

Elan looked up at him and spoke something in Arapaho as he rose from the ground with Soldier in his arms.

"What did he say?" Sogard asked.

"He's grateful for your kindness. Said you're a good man," George answered, patting the surprised man on the shoulder. "Can I make a suggestion, Sheriff? Have one of your men corral that blue roan. The saddle too. Ain't too many blue roans around here, and it ain't one of ours. It might help you identify the owner."

Sogard nodded crisply, and then retreated to give orders to his men. Kensi followed Elan into the back of the sheriff's SUV, shooting a worried look at Deeks as the door closed. He felt himself sag at the knees as the sheriff jumped in and roared down toward the main road.

"Come on, son," George said, his rough hand gripping the back of his neck as he steered him toward the pickup. "It's a long drive to Rawlins. We gotta call Joe and Jim. They'll want to know what happened."

"That's the question, George," Deeks said. "What the hell did happen?"

"Don't know," he replied. "What I do know is that boy fought hard for his life."

"Still is," Deeks replied. "God, George. What if he dies?"

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Marty," George said. "He's a tough young man, so don't count him out just yet."

"He probably heard something and went to check it out," Deeks said, trying to connect the dots. "He must have witnessed what happened to Frankie Leader, and got caught."

"But how'd he end up on that horse?"

"Hopefully he'll tell us when he wakes up," Deeks said. "If he…"

"Don't say if, son," George said. "We both need to believe he'll make it."

"Yeah…okay," Deeks' reply was half hearted, but he hung onto the small possibility that they had gotten to the boy in time.

"You think the sheriff will let Elan go with him to the hospital?" George asked as they drove up to the cluster of vehicles parked by the main road.

"Let's ask him."

The sheriff had been true to his word. Carbon County Sheriff vehicles blocked traffic in both directions on Jack Creek Road, and his officers were fielding questions from the occupants in the few cars that had already been stopped. Deeks could hear the sound of the approaching helicopter, and looked for Kensi. She was standing by the sheriff, her hand shielding her eyes as she looked up at the sky and then looked back, searching for him. She was biting her bottom lip, and his love for her surged when she flashed a tremulous smile at him before turning to help Elan out of the backseat. Soldier's body was limp, but Elan held him close, his face pressed against the boy's forehead. When Deeks reached his side, Elan was speaking softly to his son in Arapaho as tears ran down his cheeks.

"I can't lose him, Cuz," the big man choked out when he looked over at him. "I can't."

Deeks fought hard to control his emotions, squeezing Elan's shoulder because he couldn't find any words of comfort. Deep down he knew how bad it was, but he couldn't voice it for fear of what it would do to Elan, and to himself. Soldier had saved his life, and over time he had come to love him. He had changed Elan's life, and brought new life to everyone in the Atwood family. To lose him would be devastating for all of them, but it might just destroy Elan.

Kensi smoothed a tear from her cheek as she came to him, snuggling into his chest, her hands red with Soldier's blood.

"You okay?" He asked, feeling her shaking as she cried.

"This is so hard, Deeks. He looked so young in Elan's arms…like he did when we first found him in Santa Fe," she said, her words muffled as she buried her face in his shoulder. "He has to make it. He just has to."

"Did Elan say anything?"

"Nothing in English," she replied. "I think he's in shock."

"I think we all are."

The whomp of the helo blades drowned out the encouragement he offered. As the MedEvac settled onto the roadway, Sheriff Sogard stepped up beside Elan, and Deeks prepared himself in case things went sideways, but the man simply guided Elan toward the EMTs who emerged with a stretcher. Soldier looked so frail as his father laid him down. When Elan turned to the sheriff with a questioning look, the man waved for him to go with Soldier, and Deeks let out a long, shaky sigh of relief. Kensi joined the young deputy who had arrested Elan, climbing in behind him just as the helo slowly began to lift off, dipping its nose before banking back toward Rawlins.

George walked up talking on his cell phone, his voice deep and hoarse. When he ended the call, he took a measured breath and closed his eyes.

"Littleshield is ready to kill somebody," he said.

"Who?"

"Not sure he thought about that," George replied. "But if they find the bastard who did this, I might have to lock him in the root cellar. You might have to lock me in there with him."

"Did you talk to Joe?" Deeks asked, trying to distract the man from his obvious anger.

"Di and the baby we're just released from the hospital. He's taking them to her parents' house over in Elk Mountain. They've been taking care of little Chris. Then he's headed back. He'll meet us at the hospital."

"How's he taking it?"

"Shocked, angry and worried as hell, and not just about Soldier," George replied. "He's afraid for Elan if the boy doesn't survive. We all know what Elan is capable of. Joe thinks if he loses Soldier, we'll lose Elan too."

"Yeah…I thought the same thing," Deeks said, once again feeling a deep sense of dread.

"Deeks?" Sheriff Sogard interrupted. "You got a minute?"

"What's up?"

"I want your family to know I'm not charging Elan," Sogard said. "It's obvious now that he's not involved. The kid probably witnessed what happened to Frankie Leader and got too close. And I'm damn sorry about that."

Deeks found it hard to say anything, although he was relieved about Elan.

"I'll assign my deputy to stay with the boy for protection if you like," the sheriff said.

"Don't think that's necessary, Sheriff. Elan and Kensi are with him, and Joe will be there soon," Deeks replied absently, distracted as he sorted through all the facts and unknowns about what happened.

"Let me know if you change your mind," Sogard said.

"You need to reexamine the crime scene, Sheriff," Deeks said. "Soldier was probably attacked somewhere close, and the sonofabitch who did it might have left some evidence."

"Already on that," Sogard said. "I called Henry Tarver, the game warden. He's a damn good tracker. Obviously whoever did this came in on horseback. Henry might be able to backtrack the roan."

"Only as far as the road," George interjected. "You know he probably trailered that horse somewhere close by, and then rode him on up to Elan's place."

"Doesn't that mean two horses?" Deeks asked. "One for the killer and one for Frankie Leader?"

"Not sure about that," Sogard said. "But a good tracker could tell us."

"Elan's the best one I know," Deeks said.

"No…he was taught by the best," George said. "Jim Littleshield."

"Seriously?" Deeks said.

"Would he be willing to help Henry? See if they can tell what happened up there?" Sogard asked. "I know he's probably anxious to get to the hospital, but…"

"No…this is good. It'll keep him out of trouble," George said, turning away to call his cousin.

"What kind of trouble?" The sheriff asked, looking confused at first. "Never mind. I keep thinking he's just an old man, but he isn't, is he?"

"He's a peaceful man, but not when his family's threatened," Deeks replied. "I wasn't even his blood, and you saw what he did to the man who messed with me. Soldier calls him grandfather, so if he can help find the bastard who tried to kill that kid…he'll do it. It's after we find him that there might be trouble."

"This whole thing has turned into one big ol' shitstorm," Sogard said. "So I'll just have to worry about your family after we catch this murdering sonofabitch."

"I'd like to work this with you, Sheriff. If you'll let me," Deeks asked. "There's nothing I can do at the hospital, and Kensi and Joe will be with Elan. He'll be the one you'll have to worry about if Soldier doesn't make it."

"That wasn't hard to figure," he replied.

"Jim's on his way, Sheriff. Let him take a look at that blue roan," George said as he rejoined them. "He's got a good eye for horses and the best breeder I know. He might know who owns that horse, or at least who might have bred him."

"I'm not going with you to the hospital, George," Deeks said. "I think I can do more good here, working the scene."

"Thought you might have that in mind. You find that bastard, son," George said, his eyes dark with pooling tears. "That boy didn't deserve that…none of it."

Deeks pulled him into a hug, knowing how bad he was hurting. "I've lost too many, Marty. Not sure I can stand losing that boy."

They both had tears in their eyes when they parted. Deeks hated seeing the old man in such pain, and he was determined to find something that might ease that pain. He shut down his emotions and got a tight grip on his anger as he watched George's pickup turn up Jack Creek Road toward Rawlins.

"Let's go take another look at the crime scene," Sogard said, obviously wanting to stay on track. "The body's already on its way to the lab for a forensic autopsy…"

"Looks like your friend, the game warden is here," Deeks said.

The green pickup skidded to a stop, parked haphazardly in the middle of a slush puddle, and Tarver's face was flush as he slammed out. "Any news on the kid?"

"He's still in the air, Henry," Sogard said, his voice unusually soft. "My deputy will keep me posted."

"I hate this," Henry replied under his breath, but Deeks heard and it made him angry.

"If you don't want to help then get the hell out," Deeks said.

"Deeks…"

"What, Sheriff? He obviously doesn't want to be here…"

"Deeks. Shut up," Sogard barked.

"It's okay, Tommy," Henry said. "I'm sorry you heard that, Deeks. But, this hits close to home for me. My kid brother was killed last October. Stabbed and left to die not far from here on the banks of the North Platte below Bennett Peak. Never found out who did it, or why. So I do want to be here, and want to catch this bastard more than you can ever know."

"I'm sorry for your loss," Deeks said, upset with himself for snapping at the man. "Can we start over?"

"Sounds good," Henry said. "Fill me in on what you got so far."

Deeks rode with Henry as they followed the sheriff back up to the crime scene. He laid out the evidence and described how they found Soldier, pausing a few times as his emotions got the better of him. Henry made no comment nor seemed put off by Deeks' sentient lapses into silence.

"Sounds like a tough kid," Henry remarked when he was finished.

"He had to be most of his life," Deeks said.

"Wish my brother had been half as tough," Henry said. "He never seemed to fit in anywhere, or get close to anybody, including me. Hated Wyoming, hated horses and guns, and if you can believe it…he even hated the mountains. When we were little, he used to ask me if he was adopted. He never felt he belonged."

"He should have moved to Santa Monica," Deeks said.

"Wish he had. Not sure when, but he got caught up in drugs…meth mostly. Disappeared for months at a time. Don't know where, and don't know with who." Henry continued. "But damn, he was smart. Brilliant with numbers. Finally managed to get a job in Cheyenne, even worked for one of the Kemps as a bookkeeper toward the end. Didn't last long though. Came back here a couple of weeks before he was killed. Strung out most of the time."

"Sounds rough," Deeks said.

"Yeah. My parents never knew how to help him, and neither did I. He didn't want any help, but we tried anyway. Nothing worked," Henry said. "He liked Cheyenne. Never told us why he left. If he'd stayed there, he might still be alive."

"Sorry, man."

"Looks like you guys brought in a ringer," Henry said, wiping at his eyes and sounding relieved to have something else to talk about.

Jim Littleshield sat quietly on his big sorrel in the middle of the two-track road, speaking with Sheriff Sogard.

"What? Don't like a little competition?" Deeks asked with a grin, wanting to lighten the atmosphere.

"Oh, he'd win if there was one," Henry said. "I've got a couple of stories you might not have heard about Old Jim Littleshield."

Jim climbed down from his horse and reached for Deeks. His chin was trembling as he fought to hold himself together, but his rough hand gripped his shoulder like a vise, and Deeks flinched.

"You tell me the truth now," he demanded. "I don't need to be protected…just tell me how bad."

The old Arapaho's eyes bore into him and he knew if he lied, the old man would know and never trust him again.

"I know you believe in signs," Deeks said. "Soldier lost a lot of blood and would have bled out if we hadn't found him. If the sun hadn't hit that hillside when it did, we might never have seen that blue roan. He was the same color as the rock face. Blended right in. Take that as a sign that Soldier will survive this."

Jim Littleshield patted his cheek and nodded. "Show me that roan."

One of the deputies had walked the horse into an open space in the pines, and as soon as they approached, the roan became agitated. He snorted and pawed the ground, his eyes wary as he looked from one to the other. Jim pulled a carrot from his pocket and walked slowly toward the horse, his lilting Arapaho drawing the animal's attention. The deputy handed him the reins, and Jim walked the animal in a circle a few times, showing him the carrot and talking softly. When he finally stopped, he fed the carrot to him a little at a time.

"He smells the blood, and he don't like it," Jim said. "This ain't a hunter's horse."

Jim tied the reins to the limb of the nearest tree and began to run his hands down the roan's neck, and over its chest. The horse flinched and snorted, stepping back as Jim knelt to see what had cause the reaction.

"There's a cut here."

"Was the horse stabbed?" Sogard asked.

"Too jagged for that. Ran into a branch maybe," Jim replied as he patted the horse.

Once the horse calmed, Jim lifted his front leg and checked the roan's shoe. He checked each hoof, muttering in Arapaho.

"Got a gouge in that back shoe. Make it easy to track him now," the old man said. "Let's get this saddle off. It's a nice one. Might be able to trace the maker, might not."

"Would be something if the bastard put his name on it," Henry said.

"Might get some initials," Sogard added, as the deputy began unsaddling the animal. "Already took samples of the blood on it."

Jim turned to stare at him, and Sogard apologized, looking sheepish about the misstep.

"He looks well taken care of. Do you have any idea whose horse this might be, or it's breeder?" Henry asked.

"Might ask those Silver Spur Ranch folks over on Little Beaver Creek, east of Encampment," Jim replied. "Heard one of their people took a liking to blue roans a few years ago. Think his name was Dever. Don't know if he's still there."

"That's a big outfit. Cattle ranchers," Sogard said. "Good reputation. I'll take a run out there after we finish here."

"Let's go see where this big blue roan has been," Henry said.

Deeks walked over to stand beside Jim as he lingered by the horse. "So much blood."

"Yeah, it is," Deeks replied, placing his hand on the old Indian's back.

"This horse saved that boy. Don't know how, but he carried him out of here…out of danger," Jim said. "He was scared, but Soldier loves horses and this roan sensed that, and took to him. Otherwise he'd have bucked him off."

"Where will you be keeping this horse, Sheriff Sogard?" Deeks asked.

"Hadn't thought about it."

"I'll stable him at our place, if you want," Jim Littleshield offered.

"Or we can put him in Elan's corral and stake it out," Deeks said. "The owner might want him back, and if he comes looking for him, we can nab the bastard."

"I knew I liked you, Agent Deeks," Sogard said.

"It'd be a long shot," Henry said. "And there's no guarantee he'll take the chance and come back here."

"But it's worth a shot," Deeks said.

"Well we sure as hell don't have much else," Sogard said. "At least until Soldier wakes up."

Sogard's deputy was charged with taking the horse up to Elan's, but Jim stopped to talk to him as he untied the animal. The old Arapaho seemed to have formed a connection with the horse. He asked the young man to wash the roan and rub him down, also explaining where to find a stable blanket and some grain. When they parted company, Jim watched as the deputy walked the weary horse up the road.

"Ready to do a little tracking, Mr. Littleshield?" Sogard asked.

"Yep. Already saw some tracks when I first rode up," he replied. "You saw 'em too, didn't ya Henry?"

"More like a trampled mess with all the snow and runoff," he replied. "But, first I think we might want to see what we can find up where Frankie Leader was killed. The boy had to have been pretty close."

As the four of them walked further back into the trees, Deeks was reminded just what a tight ship Sheriff Sogard ran. Crime tape had been strung along a single file tract through the forest, insuring that any unfound evidence wouldn't be trampled on. It widened into a small circle where the forensic team still labored.

"Soldier would have been coming from Elan's," Deeks said, and they all turned in that direction.

"That's quite a trek in the dark," Sogard said.

"Was probably checking on the yearlings in the pasture," Jim said. "Mighta heard that blue roan calling out. Mighta thought it was one of theirs and went to see."

"So he follows the sound and maybe hears voices," Deeks continued. "He's curious. Maybe a little scared that the men who burned the barn had come back."

"Why not go get his father?" Henry asked. "Why come out here alone?"

"He's a teenager," Sogard said. "Trying to be a man."

Jim lifted the yellow tape and walked gingerly across the open space to another deadfall of trees. This one wasn't as large as the one where Frankie Leader died, but it made the perfect place to observe what happened. Deeks and Henry Tarver walked around the remains of the dead trees to where there was a slight opening in the tree canopy.

"Stop," Henry said. "There was a struggle here. The snow on the ground is a little mushy now, but those muddy tracks you see froze not long after they were made."

Jim and the sheriff came around the other side, spreading out until the four of them surrounded the place where Soldier was discovered by the killer. Henry turned and scrambled up on top of the dead trees, shining his Maglite down over the scene.

"Tracks show Soldier was backing away," Jim said as he circled the scene. "Then he fell."

"No," Henry said. "He was run down by a man on horseback. See it? Horse tracks go right over that small indentation."

"There's drag marks here," Jim said.

"The kid must have been knocked out," Sogard speculated.

"Framing Elan wouldn't have worked if Soldier was found here," Deeks said, feeling his anger rising.

"So the killer needed to haul him out of here," the sheriff added.

"Looks like there were two horses. I think the killer lost control of the second horse…Frankie Leader's horse," Tarver said as he shined his flashlight over the disturbed ground and a line of horse tracks heading away from the scene.

"There's not a lot of blood here," the sheriff said. "So what happened next?"

"The killer assumed Soldier was down for the count and got him up on that blue roan," Deeks said. "But Soldier woke up. I've seen that kid ride. He's hell on a horse."

"Just not fast enough last night," Henry said. "That brutal bastard must have grabbed the reins and stabbed the kid before he could get away."

"But he did get away," Deeks said, shaken by how desperate the situation must have been for Soldier.

"And the killer was left without a horse," Henry said as he scrambled down from the deadfall. "And undoubtedly damn pissed."

"Sheriff? You were right earlier," Deeks said. "Put a protective detail on Soldier. Right now. This killer's not the type to assume Soldier's dead. He'll want to make sure of it."

…

…


	12. Chapter 12

**Choices**

_Chapter 12_

…

Deeks was emotionally drained, and didn't object when Sheriff Sogard suggested they stop for a late lunch in Saratoga. He'd talked Jim Littleshield into coming with them to the Silver Spur Ranch to enquire about the blue roan. Since Jim was a well-known horse breeder in the area, the sheriff thought the ranch manager might be more forthcoming if he was along. Deeks had to admit he was hungry, even though he felt guilty about stopping to fuel up and rest while Soldier was still in surgery.

"Lollypops?" Deeks asked, gesturing up at the sign as he got out of the sheriff's SUV.

"I'm sure you eat in fancy places when you're home in LA, but these folks make great sandwiches," Sogard said, sounding somewhat defensive.

"I mostly get my lunch at food trucks," Deeks replied. "Unless I'm taking my ladybird out on the town."

"What the hell's a food truck?" Sogard asked.

"Don't mind him, Agent Deeks. He hasn't left Wyoming since the ice age," Chief Pete Hartman said as he walked up and held the door open for them. "And he doesn't eat out much either. His wife's cooking is better than in most of the restaurants in Carbon County."

"Hey, Pete," Sogard said. "Good to see you. How's your sister holding up?"

"She's coping as best she can," he replied. "Jeff's funeral's tomorrow."

Deeks was embarrassed that he'd forgotten the man's brother-in-law, Deputy Jeff Roland, was one of the men killed by Frankie Leader and his accomplice. The man acknowledged Jim Littleshield, but seemed anxious as he followed them into the almost empty cafe. They found a table in the back corner and ordered.

"Tell me you've got something, Tom," Hartman said, leaning across the table. "There were four men massacred, a barn burned to the ground, an attempted murder of a Federal agent, and this morning I heard one of the killers turned up dead. Tell me what the fuck is going on. I deserve to know. I am the damn Chief of Police in a town in your county, and it was a member of my family that got killed."

"Take it easy, Pete…" Sogard said.

"The hell I will," he snapped, getting more agitated by the minute. "Looks to me like you're spending more time investigating who burned down Elan Hand's barn than what happened to Jeff and the others."

The unwarranted comment struck Deeks like a slap in the face. "Elan's son was stabbed and almost killed this morning. He witnessed what happened between the men who killed your brother-in-law, and right now he's fighting for his life. You're not the only one affected here. Don't you get it? Everything that's happened is connected."

"At least we think it is. We're just trying to figure out how," Sogard said.

"Damn…I hadn't heard. He's just a kid," Hartman whispered. "I pray he makes it, Jim. I know how much that boy means to you and your family."

They all lapsed into an awkward silence while their sandwiches and drinks were being placed in front of them. Hartman seemed to regret what he'd said, keeping his head down as he started in on his sandwich. Deeks tried not to blame the Police Chief for his anger, but he was dealing with his own rage.

"Didn't mean to minimize what happened to you, Agent Deeks, and I'm sure sorry about Elan's son," Hartman finally said. "But its tough to watch you involved in this investigation, when you shouldn't be. You're a Fed and your family is in the middle of this."

"That's my decision to make, Pete," Sheriff Sogard said pointedly. "He has a hell of a lot of experience and if he can help solve this thing, than I'm using him."

"Okay. I get it. But I've been working in law enforcement around here for a long time, and it's been damn hard on me to be kept out of this investigation," Hartman said. "My sister keeps asking questions, and I got nothing to tell her."

"You ever had any dealings with Frankie Leader?" Sogard asked.

"Is Frankie the dead shooter?" Hartman asked.

"Yeah. It was his blood we found in the snow that night," the sheriff said. "If you have any files on him I could sure use the intel."

"Throwing me a bone, Tom?" Hartman asked.

"Admitting I've got a lot on my plate and not enough men to check out every detail or do in depth background checks," Sogard replied. "Things are happening pretty damn fast, and I'd appreciate the help."

"Yeah, I know the bastard," Hartman said. "I arrested him more than once for assault when I was just an officer. Couldn't get anyone to testify against him until three years ago."

"Was it just bar fights, or was something else going on?" Deeks asked.

"I always believed he was an enforcer for some out-of-town drug dealer," he replied. "But the Police Chief at the time didn't want to pursue it. He was just happy we got a conviction. I tried to get Frankie to flip on who he was working for, but he refused. Hinted that he was 'small potatoes' as he called it. Said if I didn't quit pushing, I'd be digging my own grave."

"Sounds like he was a real drama queen," Deeks said.

"Mean sucker is what he was," Hartman replied. "Got no tears for that jackass."

"Any known associates?" Deeks asked.

"Saw him with one of the wranglers from the Silver Spur a few times," he replied. "Saw them in a corner over at the Whistle Pig about a week ago. Asked the bartender if Frankie had caused any trouble and he said no, but he looked scared as shit when he said it."

"Too bad you can't arrest somebody for scaring the shit out of people," Sogard said.

"You think that guy I saw with Frankie is a suspect," Hartman stated, his eyes suddenly stone cold.

"If it was a guy named Dever. Maybe. We're on our way over to the Silver Spur Ranch to check him out," Sogard said, putting down his half eaten sandwich. "I promise to keep you in the loop on what we find out, Pete."

"You do that, Sheriff," he said, and threw down his napkin as he got up to leave. "Deeks…Jim. Give my best to Elan. Me and my wife will be praying for his boy."

"Thank you, sir. I'm sure he'll appreciate that," Deeks replied.

Sogard stared at the door for a couple of minutes after the police chief left. "He's pissed for sure. He hates jurisdictional bullshit, but that's the way it is."

"He can't see the road ahead of him," Jim said. "He can only see behind and it is dark there. Too much pain and too much regret."

"Can't blame him for being pissed," Deeks said, pushing back from the table. "I'm going to call Kensi and find out if Soldier's out of surgery."

Deeks hadn't touched his sandwich. His appetite rested on the news Kensi would give him. Seeking privacy, he walked outside and sat down on a bench in front of the cafe. He watched the sparse traffic for a little bit, trying to gather the courage to call. If Soldier died, it was tough to imagine what the consequences would be for the family he had grown to love as his own. He choked back tears just thinking about this world without that vibrant kid. He smiled as he recalled Soldier's joyous grin whenever he beat his father in a horse race. The boy had grown so much emotionally since he'd come to live with Elan at the ranch. He was confident, and more trusting than he had ever been. Although he had become a little surly lately, he remained a sensitive young man, and he was kind, a reaction he supposed, to the meanness he'd grown up with.

"Suck it up, Deeks," he whispered, and hurriedly hit speed dial.

"Deeks…," Kensi was crying, and he felt his chest tighten and his mouth go dry.

"Kens…just tell me," he said, shutting his eyes as if that would block out bad news.

"Soldier's okay, baby," she said, laughing in relief. "The surgeon just came out to tell us that the surgery went well. He's in recovery now."

Deeks leaned back against the bench and looked up into the clearing sky, unable to speak or hold back his tears as Kensi shared more details. He heard the door to the cafe open and looked over to see Jim Littleshield standing rigid and silent, his chin quivering as he waited for Deeks to speak.

"Deeks? Are you there?" Kensi asked.

"Yeah…Yeah. I'm here, baby," Deeks said, as he stood and reached out to Jim Littleshield. "Soldier's good, Uncle Jim. He made it through."

The old Arapaho stumbled back against the door, his eyes wet with tears as he pounded Deeks on the shoulder over and over.

"Jim's here, Kens," Deeks said. "Is Elan with you? I think Jim would like to talk with him."

He listened to the soft, lilting Arapaho language, not understanding a word, but comforted by it nonetheless. It was if the world had started spinning again. It reminded him of how he felt when he was surfing and broke the surface of the water after a wipeout. Sound returned. Clarity as well. He was able to breathe deeply again, feeling alive because Soldier was alive. And he couldn't stop smiling.

"Good news?" Sheriff Sogard asked.

"Soldier's going to be okay," he replied.

"Thank God. Now lets go find the bastards who did this," the sheriff said, but abruptly hesitated. "But if you'd rather get to the hospital and be with your family, I understand."

"No," Jim said, handing Deeks his phone. "Elan wants us to follow the trail. He is trusting us to find the man who did this to his son."

"Okay then," Sogard said. "Let's go talk to a man about a horse."

…

Deeks was used to the intimate beauty of the Atwood Ranch. The sweep of land that was the Silver Spur Ranch backed up against the base of Blackhall Mountain, and it was expansive and wildly majestic. The snowy tops of the mountain ridges were barely discernible in the misting clouds, and the arroyos were choked with dark pines. The meadow that stretched out below was a mixture of new growth grasses and patches of melting snow. A line of thick willows and cottonwoods just leafing out, followed the twisting banks of Little Beaver Creek, a verdant backdrop for the herd of muddy white cattle that watched them drive past. Jim told him they were called Charolais, and were originally from France. The old Arapaho was in a good mood now that Soldier was okay, and had been pointing out landmarks and wildlife during the entire drive down from Saratoga. They traveled almost a mile on the ranch's entrance road before they saw any sign of people. As they approached the creek, a few barns came into view and they could see a ranch house tucked back in the trees. Three men stood next to a corral and turned from their horses as they pulled up.

"That big man in the white shirt is Greg Miles," Jim said. "He's in charge of the remuda."

"You work with him before?" Sogard asked.

"Some," Jim replied.

Deeks had googled the place and knew it was part of a large corporation with holdings in four states, and had been around since the late eighteen hundreds. It was the fourth largest cattle ranch in the United States. This was obviously a successful operation, and he wondered how they'd come to hire a man that might be involved in murder.

"Jim," Greg Miles said with a slight smile. "You come to sell me that big bay mare?"

"Can't," Jim replied. "Belongs to Marty here."

"Sheila? You want to buy Sheila?" Deeks sputtered in surprise.

"Been trying for years," Miles replied. "Maybe we can work out a deal. I won't charge you a stud fee for my favorite stallion, and I'll give you a good price for the foal."

"I'll think about it," Deeks replied. "But right now we're interested in one of your employees. A man named Dever."

"Dever? That why you're here, sheriff?" He asked, then looked over at the other two men, who were both looking at the ground. "You said you wanted to talk horses."

"He's a person of interest in a murder investigation," Sogard said, his voice sharp.

All three men snapped to attention, and Greg Miles whispered a curse, pulling his hat off and slapping it against his leg.

"That sonofabitch," he said. "That bastard has been trouble since he got here, but I didn't figure him for a murderer."

"Who'd he kill?" One of the cowboys asked.

"Not sure he killed anyone yet," Sogard said. "Would like to know what kind of trouble he's been?"

"Likes to fight a little too much," Miles said. "I warned him and the ranch manager warned him, and he cooled down for awhile."

"Sounds like it didn't hold," Sogard said.

"He was on a short leash, but if he'd shown up today I was going to fire him," Miles said.

"Why? What he do?" Deeks asked.

"Tell 'em, Teddy."

"Guy's always been a hard ass," Teddy said hesitantly at first. "But he's been real squirrelly the last couple of days. When I asked him where he was going with one of our horse trailers yesterday evening, he shoved me up against the fence and pulled a nasty looking knife on me. Threatened to cut my balls off if I told anybody. I believed him."

"Finally told me about it a little while ago," Miles said. "Took a truck and trailer, and one of our best quarter horses too."

"Does he ride a blue roan?" Jim asked. "Heard he was taken with the breed."

"Yeah, he does. Kept pushing me to let him breed 'em," Miles replied. "Gotta say, the man loves horses, especially that blue roan of his, but he has no talent for breeding."

"Did he take the blue roan when he left?" Deeks asked.

"Yessir, he did," Teddy said. "Did he hurt somebody last night? I'd feel real bad if he did."

"You ain't responsible for that asshole," the other cowboy said.

"This is Toby. He's Teddy's brother," Miles said.

"A blue roan was discovered near the scene of a murder," Sogard said, as Deeks stared hard at Teddy. "Elan Hand's teenage son was on him. He'd been stabbed. Poor kid nearly bled out."

Teddy pulled his hat off and pinched his eyes shut. "Oh man. I fucked up, Toby. I fucked up big time."

"If it's any consolation, he probably would have killed you if you'd tried to stop him," Deeks said.

"How can you know that?" He asked in anguish as his brother gripped his shoulder.

"Because we think he was one of the men who shot down a deputy sheriff and three others a few nights ago," Deeks said. "As much as I wished you'd called the cops on Dever last night…what he did isn't your fault."

"You mean that shooting up on Sheffield Kemp's place?" Miles asked. "I'll be damned."

"Dever tried to pin it all on Elan Hand by killing his wounded partner and leaving his body up by Elan's place," Sogard explained. "We're pretty sure Elan's son Soldier saw him do it. We think Dever stabbed the boy, but somehow the kid managed to get away on that blue roan."

"Kid was braver than me," Teddy said. "Is he all right?"

"He will be," Deeks replied.

"Can you get me a license number for the truck and trailer he took?" Sogard asked. "We need to find this guy."

"No problem, Sheriff," Miles said, punching a text into his phone.

"Sounds like he has a real soft spot for that blue roan," Deeks said. "You think he'd try and get him back if he had the chance?"

"Wouldn't let no one else ride that horse," Teddy said, sounding angry for the first time. "Got kinda mean if you even asked. So…yeah. He'll want him back."

"Anything else you can tell us about him?" Sogard asked.

"Had a few beers with him last winter," Toby said. "Got kind of talkative about growing up dirt poor in North Dakota. Had a hardscrabble life until he started working for some fella who took a liking to him. Claimed he was gonna own a ranch of his own someday. When I laughed, he got real quiet. The look in his eye put me on guard. Scary as shit. So, being a numbskull like my brother here, I asked him just how he was gonna do that. Said this friend of his from North Dakota had money to burn, and more where that come from. Said the guy had a plan in the works to cash in big time. Must have realized he was talking too much and just stopped mid sentence. Warned me to keep it to myself."

"Any clue who this friend of his might be?" Deeks asked.

The two brothers looked at each other, and Deeks knew they were holding something back.

"You afraid?" He asked them. "Cause if someone else is killed because you withheld information, I'll make sure you're charged as an accessory."

"Just afraid I'll lose my job, asshole," Toby snapped.

"Watch your mouth, Toby," Greg Miles said. "You don't tell these men everything you know, I'll fire you both."

"Shit, Toby. Tell 'em," Teddy said. "I like working here."

"Okay. Okay," Toby said. "Me and Teddy went up to the Wind River Casino for New Years. To blow off a little steam, you know?"

"And a paycheck," Teddy murmured.

"Dever was there with some slick looking guy in a grey suit," Toby continued. "The guy was playing blackjack, and Dever was acting like he was the guy's security man or something. Kept people away from him…always watching his back. Stuff like that. He didn't play, just watched."

"And?"

"You know that little Arapaho museum they got there?" Toby asked, looking over at Jim Littleshield. "Teddy and I were sitting in the lobby when Dever and this guy went in there with a couple of Arapaho."

"Did you know them?" Sogard asked.

Teddy stared up at the mountains, and looked a little green, but finally nodded to his brother to continue.

"They're drug dealers. Meth mostly," Toby said, watching Greg Miles for a reaction. "But we only bought weed from 'em. I swear, boss."

"Names?" Sogard pushed.

"Tyler Yellowsky and Ben Big Horse," he replied.

"Sonofabitch," Deeks muttered.

"Sounds like you might know 'em, too," Greg Miles said, staring at him along with the two cowboys.

"Yeah…you could say that. They tried to kill me," Deeks breathed out.

"No shit?" Teddy said. "This is gettin' way too deep for me."

"Anything else you want to add?" Sogard asked.

Once again Toby hesitated, and this time Jim Littleshield took a few steps into his personal space. He spoke softly to him in Arapaho, and Deeks realized Toby understood everything he said.

"Jim?" Deeks said softly. "You know these two?"

"Knew their grandmother long time ago," he replied. "Heard she taught them Arapaho. Told Toby she'd be ashamed of them if they didn't help."

"You left out the part about kicking our ass," Toby said. "And telling Elan Hand we didn't cooperate. That dude is scary, man."

"You have no idea," Deeks said. "Now…want to tell us what you were holding back?"

"They met someone in the museum," Teddy said.

"It was one of those Kemps," Toby added.

"Which one?" Sogard asked.

"Don't know. It was pretty dark in there," Toby said. "Wouldn't know any of them well enough to single one out."

"But you're sure it was a Kemp?" Sogard asked.

"Pretty sure," Teddy said.

"Old guy? Young guy? Short? Tall?" Deeks asked, frustrated with both men.

"Like I said…it was really dark in there and I'd had a few drinks," Toby replied.

"And maybe a hit or two of drugs," Miles said gruffly.

"It was New Years, boss," Teddy whined.

"I should kick the both of you right outa here," Greg Miles said.

"If you help us spring a trap on Dever, maybe your boss will go easy on you," Deeks said.

"And how would we do that," Toby asked, sounding disgruntled with the way things had gone.

"If you have friends at the casino or on the Rez, you might let it be known that we're keeping that blue roan at Elan Hand's place," Deeks said. "If Dever was to hear about that, he might make a move to get him back."

"And we'll be waiting for him," Sogard said.

"We could do that," Teddy said, and Toby nodded. "And if it works out, maybe you could put in a good word with our boss here so we can keep our jobs."

"Stay off drugs and I might listen," Miles said. "You'd both be gone right now if you weren't so damn good with horses."

Deeks wasn't even paying attention at the end. He didn't care if the two cowboys kept their jobs or not. He was too busy trying to figure out all the players and how they fit together and why.

"Mr. Deeks? Mr. Littleshield?" Teddy called out as they walked away. "I sure hope Soldier gets back on his feet real soon. Saw him at a local race last summer. That kid can sure ride."

Deeks nodded at him, but wondered if they knew more than they were telling. The drug angle hadn't occurred to him, but now it seemed like a reasonable explanation. Maybe one of the Kemps kept a stash up at that cabin of theirs, and Harley and Bryce had been sent to get it. Maybe Molly had nothing to do with any of it. What he did know was that one of the Kemps was involved, he just didn't know which one or how deep. Someone in that family knew the men who burned down Elan's barn and tried to kill him, and that couldn't just be a coincidence. If it was one thing he had learned from Hetty and the team, it was that there was no such thing. That act had always seemed personal to him, and Sheffield Kemp made no secret of his dislike for Native Americans in general and for Soldier in particular. But would a man of Sheffield Kemp's standing stoop to working with drug dealers just to keep his daughter away from an Indian? He didn't think so. Racism ran through that family. The sons had all been taught to hate. But which one had gone so deep down that hole that they were willing to bring violence into the mix?

Five men were now dead, and it wasn't hard to believe that they were killed over drugs. He'd seen it all the time as a cop in LA. But why would one of the Kemps be involved in the local drug trade? He'd always assumed they were all rich, but maybe he was wrong about that. He should know better than to assume, and he knew the cardinal rule was to always, always…follow the money. And that's what he intended to do, as soon as he caught the man who almost killed Soldier. Dever might just be the key to unraveling the whole mess.

…

…


	13. Chapter 13

**Choices**

_Chapter 13_

…

The sheriff had been kind enough to drop them off at the hospital after their productive meeting with the men at Silver Spur Ranch. On the drive up to Rawlins, Deeks had begun to make sense of what had happened, but still wasn't sure about the why. Drugs were the obvious reason, but until they could arrest Dever and get some concrete answers it was all just speculation. But as they walked through the halls of the hospital, all of his questions faded as they approached the ICU. His mood brightened when he saw Kensi, but the man she was talking to definitely came as a surprise.

"Hey brother," Deeks said. "You're a long way from home."

Callen turned and gave him a quick hug, his blue eyes glazed with intensity. Jim gave him a gentle squeeze on the arm, but Callen seemed totally focused, just as he was when working a case.

"Find out who did this yet?"

"Working on it," Deeks replied as Kensi ran her hand down his arm, as curious as Callen.

"So he's still in danger," Callen said, motioning toward the sheriff's deputy standing by the door.

"He witnessed a murder," Deeks said. "And the guy's in the wind."

"What's his name and what's he look like?" Callen asked, his crisp anger simmering just below the surface.

"Name's Wayne Dever. Apparently he doesn't have a record. At least not in Wyoming," Deeks replied. "So no mug shots, just a general description that sounds like every other man with a beard in Wyoming. The sheriff is checking with various departments in North Dakota."

"If he killed as many men as you think he has, it won't be his first time," he said.

"Can we see Soldier?" Jim asked, cutting into their review of the case.

"They're limiting his visitors," Kensi said. "Elan and George are in with him now."

"Kensi told me what happened," Callen asked, ignoring the interruption, his eyes never leaving Deeks' face. "What's your next move?"

It had taken Callen some time to settle into the idea that the Atwoods were serious when they told him they considered him part of their family. He was actually still rather shy around George and Uncle Jim, but Deeks knew their acceptance meant a lot to him. He related to Soldier on an almost subconscious level. He'd understood from the beginning the emotional trauma the kid had suffered the first ten years of his life. Because of the similarities between their mother's deaths, Callen felt a deeply rooted connection with the boy. So Deeks wasn't surprised he'd come, or by the anger he didn't bother to hide.

"We're setting up a trap tonight," Deeks said. "We're hoping Dever really loves his horse, and comes to get him at Elan's."

"Want some company?" Callen asked.

"Thought you'd never ask."

"Elan says he has a scoped rifle up at his cabin," Kensi said. "I'll take overwatch."

It felt good to have Callen with them again. It gave him confidence that together, they'd get the sonofabitch...if he showed up.

"Where's Joe? This had to really piss him off," Callen said.

"I forgot to tell you. Di had their baby girl. Joe wanted to be with her and the baby tonight. Wants to see little Chris with his new sister," Kensi said. "He told me to call him if there are any breaks in the case…or if we need him."

"We should be able to handle things," Callen said. "Joe's a civilian now. Probably better if he stays out of it."

"Just don't let him hear you say that," Deeks warned.

George came out of the ICU and lit up when he saw Callen, pulling him into a powerful hug, and thanking him for coming.

"How is he, George," Callen asked.

"They've got him on some real heavy meds," he replied. "Sleeps most of the time. The doctor is watching him pretty closely. Says he'll be here at least another day, maybe more. Soldier's running a fever and they're worried about sepsis."

"Can I sit with him?" Jim asked.

"I'll take you in," George said.

The two cousins disappeared into the confines of the ICU, and once again Deeks felt the separation keenly. Their concern was focused on Soldier and he couldn't fault them for that. They were a family bonded by blood, a relation he would never have. All he could do was bring the man to justice who had put them all in that room together, watching over a boy who meant the world to them.

"You okay?" Callen asked.

"Yeah…why?" Deeks replied as he dropped into a plastic chair

"Didn't you just get out of this hospital this morning?" Callen asked with his familiar smirk. "You're looking a little green around the gills."

"Just tired. There's been a lot going on. I forgot it's only been a day," Deeks said, realizing just how tired and sore he was.

"Did you eat?"

"Wasn't in the mood," he replied.

"Why don't you and Kens go grab some dinner," Callen said, making it sound like an order.

"Want to join?" Deeks asked, as Kensi pulled him to his feet.

"Had a burger at the airport. Hospital food isn't on my top ten list of great dining experiences," he replied.

"Does Sam know you have a top ten list?" Deeks asked with a soft grin.

"He started it," Callen replied. "His might be slightly more sophisticated than mine, but hospitals are definitely not on his list either."

"But eating in a hospital is okay for me," Deeks said.

"You don't exactly have refined taste in food as I remember," Callen said, pushing him toward the elevator. "Should I remind you of some of the weird stuff you brought back when it was your turn to buy lunch?"

"Touché."

"Call us if anything changes," Kensi said.

"Will do," he replied. "And I'll check in with the wonder twins and see what they can find on this Dever character."

"Hetty gonna be okay with that?" Deeks asked. "This isn't exactly a Federal case."

"Someone tried to kill you, Deeks," he replied. "You're a Federal agent. That made it a Federal case, especially in Hetty's book."

"Is this on the books?" Kensi asked.

"You'll have to ask Hetty that," he replied. "But I was coming, one way or the other."

"Glad you're here, brother," Deeks said, touched by his comment.

"Come on, baby. I'll buy you the most expensive dish in the cafeteria," Kensi said, dragging Deeks down the hall toward the elevator.

They found themselves alone once the elevator doors closed, and Kensi stepped in and wrapped her arms around him. Her warmth was comforting, and he let out a long breath as he buried his face in her sweet smelling hair. His energy was fading, and he clung to her as she whispered her love against his cheek.

"You're exhausted aren't you?" She made it more of a statement than a question.

"I'm good, Kens. Really," he told her, wary of excuses. "I just want to get this guy. For Soldier. They all need that to happen, especially Elan."

"Yes, they do," she replied as they stepped out of the elevator into the small cafeteria. "Elan's carrying a lot of guilt. He kept saying he should have stayed up all night instead of having Soldier take a watch."

"Soldier screwed up. As soon as he heard something, he should have woke Elan up," Deeks said as he stared at the woebegone food in the glass case in front of him. "He's lucky he survived."

"You're mad at him."

"Damn right I am," Deeks said. "And Elan probably is too. He just doesn't want to admit it."

He sensed her move away, and not just physically. When he glanced over at her, she looked as if she'd just stepped in something foul. She was obviously disappointed by what he'd said, but he was just being honest and wasn't in the mood to apologize.

"Deeks…"

He turned to face her. "He should have known better, Kens. It was a stupid thing to do. He put himself in danger and look where it got him."

"Don't you blame him, Deeks. Don't you dare blame that kid," she said, her eyes flashing dangerously. "He's a brave kid. He always has been and you know that…you should remember that. Neither one of us would be here if he wasn't."

"I do remember, Kens," he said sharply. "But that doesn't change anything. He was reckless. He knew the men who tried to kill me might still be around. Why go out there alone? What the hell was he trying to prove?"

He hadn't realized his voice had risen. People had stopped eating and were now staring at him, and it pissed him off. He shoved the orange plastic tray down the metal track in front of him, releasing the anger he'd held inside all day. He pushed past Kensi and bolted for the door to an outside patio, grateful that it was empty. The cold air was a shock, but he welcomed it, pulling his jacket closed as he walked to the far end and stared out at the mountains in the distance. They were shrouded in dull grey clouds, hinting that snow was falling on the higher ridges. The sky above him shaded toward indigo, and he blinked as tears clouded his eyes.

He felt her presence behind him, but didn't turn around. She was angry with him, and he was angry with himself.

"Dammit, Kens. We were almost too late," he whispered.

Her arms came around him, and she pressed her body into his back, holding him as he fought for control. He didn't want to argue anymore, and welcomed the silence between them. She understood. It was all he needed.

"I love you," she said.

"You were right," he whispered back.

"Of course I was," she said, laughing quietly.

That made him smile, and he turned to face her. Kissing her softly again and again, he held her head as his anger melted away. Finally sighing in relief, he wrapped her in his arms, so very grateful she was his wife.

"You do realize it's freezing out here, right?" She asked. "And that your wife is hungry?"

"My wife is always hungry," he replied, brushing her hair back from her face. "What caught your eye?"

"The fried chicken didn't look too bad," she said. "And they have chocolate cake. No one can ruin cake."

"You did. Remember?"

"That wasn't my fault."

"Really? Whose was it?" He laughed.

"Betty Crocker."

"Seriously, Kens?"

"Who are you going to believe? Your wife or some fake woman who fails to provide adequate directions on the back of the box?"

"Whatever you say, Mrs. Bleeks."

She kissed him on the nose and then gently on the lips. "He'll be okay, baby."

He rested his forehead on hers, letting out his breath, and realizing just how lucky he was…and how lucky they all were that Soldier had survived.

"Come on, Sunshine. Let's go see if they have a cake that doesn't look like a puddle of goo," he said, stepping away before she could punch him.

…

Soldier looked so fragile when they finally got in to see him. His long black hair had lost its luster, and the bruises on his face had grown darker, sparking his anger once again. He opened his eyes briefly, and smiled at Kensi, but that smile faded when he looked over at Deeks, replaced with a shadow of regret. He mumbled an apology, and Deeks shook his head and gripped his hand, telling him he was proud of him. His anger with the boy had vanished the minute he saw him in that hospital bed, hooked up to all those flashing monitors. As much as he wanted to question him about what had happened, once he saw him he couldn't bring himself to draw out those painful memories. They stayed with him until he fell back asleep, and now all he could think about was nailing the man who had hurt him so badly.

Callen was waiting in the hall with Elan when they walked out of the ICU. Standing with them was Molly and Alison Kemp.

"I need to see him," Molly blurted out, her eyes red from crying. "Please?"

"Who told you he was here?" Deeks asked, his curiosity tilting toward suspicion.

"Dalton," Alison responded. "Why do you ask?"

"Because someone in your family is messed up in this," he shot back.

"You didn't tell me that," Elan said. "Was it Dalton?"

"Not sure."

"Then who the hell was it?" Elan demanded.

"Don't have a name yet," Deeks said. "But we've got witnesses that place one of the Kemps with the man who stabbed Soldier."

"He was stabbed?" Molly looked horrified, and her mother pulled her close as her eyes filled with tears.

"I don't believe these witnesses," Alison said. "Our family would never be involved in something like this. What reason could there be?"

"Have you ever heard the name, Wayne Dever?" Callen asked.

Alison hesitated for just a split second before answering. "I don't think so. And I don't appreciate being interrogated. Now please allow my daughter to see Soldier. She's quite upset."

"Alison, please," Kensi said. "If you know anything that might help, won't you please tell us?"

"I would if I could," she replied. "Vous devez me faire confiance."

"La confiance est acquise," Callen said, shooting Deeks a look that he read easily. He didn't believe her.

"As much as I admire your French, monsieur, I do not know you," she replied. "But surely I've earned the trust of Kensi and Deeks. I've been nothing but kind to you both, and to Soldier."

"Yes you have," Kensi said, subtly signaling to Callen and Deeks to let it go.

"Can I see Soldier now?" Molly asked, wiping tears from her cheeks.

"I'll take you in," Kensi said, ushering the two through the door into the dim entry hall of the ICU.

"She knows something," Callen said. "Either she's afraid to say what that is, or she's protecting someone, but she's heard Dever's name before."

"The sheriff thinks it's all drug related," Deeks said. "And Alison doesn't fit that profile."

"My barn wasn't burned down because of drugs," Elan said. "That was a personal warning. Sheffield Kemp had reason. He doesn't want Soldier anywhere near Molly."

"But the men who did that were Arapaho, Elan," Deeks said. "I can't picture Sheffield Kemp having any kind of relationship with an Arapaho, so how would he even know someone like Tyler Yellowsky?"

"So you're saying we're blaming the wrong Kemp?" Callen said.

"I don't like the guy, but it's not Sheffield Kemp," Deeks said.

"You sure about that?" Elan asked.

"Without more evidence he can't be," Callen said.

"Listen, I know that drugs are in the mix, and a Kemp is too. Who, how, and why is the question."

"Catch Dever first, Deeks," Elan said. "Do that, because if I get my hands on him, he might not live to tell you what you want to know."

"I still think those two cowboys we interviewed know more than they're telling," Deeks said.

"And so does Alison Kemp," Callen said.

"I could use a cup of coffee," Elan said. "Which one of you is buying?"

Deeks grinned and slung an arm across his shoulder, the three of them heading down the hall toward the elevator. Elan promised the deputy sheriff on guard that he would bring him coffee and a donut, making the young man perk up. It was way past visiting hours, so there were only a scattering of interns and scrub nurses in the cafeteria when they walked in. Deeks settled for some of their bad coffee as did Callen, but Elan grabbed a couple of sad looking sandwiches before slumping into one of the pale blue plastic chairs at a table by the far wall. Callen was paying the cashier when Deeks decided to get Elan a piece of pumpkin pie. With pie in hand, he turned just as a large man in blue scrubs slipped out the door of the cafeteria and disappeared down the hall. A feeling like an electric charge fired through him, and he dropped the plate he was holding, the clattering sound as it hit the floor catching Callen's attention.

"Deeks?"

He didn't wait to explain, charging out the door to chase down one of the men who had tried to force him into a burning barn. The elevator doors closed just as he reached them, and he pounded both fists against them in frustration, watching as the digital numbers of the floors lit up. Callen and Elan both reached him as he turned to search for the stairs.

"It was Ben Big Horse," he gasped, and Callen looked bewildered. "One of the guys who tried to kill me. Those cowboys saw him with Dever."

"He's going for Soldier," Elan said, and all three of them slammed through the door to the stairs.

As they raced up, Deeks speed dialed Kensi, but it went to voicemail and he pushed past Elan, his heart pounding out his fear. The echo of a gunshot ricocheted off the concrete block walls of the stairwell, and Deeks crashed through the door and onto the floor of the ICU. The young deputy sheriff lay on the floor, his eyes wild, both hands clutching his abdomen as he tried to stop the blood that was soaking his uniform. His gun lay next to him, and Deeks scooped it up as he passed, the screams of the nurses in the ICU heightening the urgency of the situation. Deeks led the way through the heavy doors, stopping when he saw Kensi in a hand-to-hand fight with Ben Big Horse. The man's knife flashed ominously, even in the dim light, as Kensi fought to protect herself and disarm him.

"Kens! Drop!" Deeks shouted, firing as she hit the floor.

Three bullets slammed into the man's chest and he collapsed in a heap in front of the nurses' station. Elan rushed past him, pulling Kensi to her feet before moving quickly to Soldier's bedside. Alison and Molly were crouched in the corner of his room, holding each other, frozen in shocked silence by the violence they'd just witnessed. Callen nodded at Deeks as he grabbed one of the interns and a nurse, rushing them out to try and save the deputy. The rest of the nurses ran to check on their patients, and one took charge of the dead body in the middle of their ICU. All of them were amazingly calm.

Tucking the gun behind his back, Deeks turned to check on Kensi. "You okay?"

"I'm good, and thanks. That guy was huge," she replied. "I recognize him from the mug shot the sheriff showed you. He was coming to kill Soldier, wasn't he?"

"Yeah."

"If that deputy hadn't gotten a round off, this guy would have walked right into Soldier's room," she said. "My back was to the door, Deeks."

Deeks pulled her head to his chest and kissed the top of her head. "The deputy's down, Kens. If he makes it, I'm buying him the biggest damn steak in Wyoming."

"I'll buy the beer," she said.

"I could have lost you, baby," Deeks whispered, stepping away so he could look at her.

"But you didn't. I'm okay, Deeks," She said gently. "I'm going to check on Alison and Molly. You should call Sogard."

"Poor guy. Now he's down two deputies," Deeks said, and pulled his phone. "So much for a relaxing interlude before the honeymoon."

She smiled and almost ran into Alison as she turned toward Soldier's room.

"Kensi…I don't know what to say," she said, her hands trembling as she clasped them in front of her. "You were magnifique."

"And lucky my husband showed up," Kensi said.

"Come on, Mrs. Bleeks. You would have taken him eventually," Deeks said, getting a pleased smile for the comment.

"May I speak with you, Monsieur Deeks?" She asked, and Kensi shot a quizzical look at him before going into Soldier's room.

"Of course."

Alison looked down at the dead man, and Deeks saw her chin quiver before she covered her mouth with her hands. He gently guided her out of the ICU and walked her up the hall to a row of plastic chairs. After sitting down, she quietly wiped tears from her face with trembling fingers.

"I have never seen a man killed before," she admitted, as if he might think otherwise.

"I'm sorry you had to witness that," Deeks said, sitting down beside her.

"I was so afraid I froze," she remarked. "I did nothing to protect my own daughter."

"He was after Soldier, not Molly," he said.

"If Kensi hadn't been there…"

"Don't think about that," he said. "Just tell me why you wanted to talk to me."

"I wasn't completely honest earlier," she said, sounding nervous and vulnerable. "The man you asked about…"

"Wayne Dever," Deeks said.

"I'm not sure, but I think I've seen his name before," she said. "But I can't seem to recall where."

"Was it something to do with your family?"

"Yes...I'm ashamed to say," she looked stricken by what she'd revealed. "Please give me time to sort out my thoughts, Mr. Deeks. Now, I just want to take Molly home. This has been a very disturbing day."

He noticed that she had called him mister instead of monsieur, and he wondered if she used a little French in conversation as a way to charm people. It was a small conceit she used to her advantage. She'd looked surprised when Callen had replied to her comment in perfect French. He thought it possible that she might use the language she thought no one understood to keep people a little off balance, and to feel superior, but then felt bad about thinking that. She was a charming and attractive woman, and it made him feel protective of her in spite of his sudden suspicions.

"Take my cell number," he said. "If you remember anything, please give me a call. It's really important, Alison. You just saw how dangerous these people are, so don't wait too long."

"Of course, Mr. Deeks."

"You can drop the mister and monsieur," he said. "Just call me Deeks. We're friends now, right?"

"Yes…Deeks. I believe we are," she replied, finally able to give him a soft smile.

They both stood up as Kensi guided Molly out of the ICU. The girl looked shaken and Alison quickly wrapped her arm around her and sat her down beside her.

"Deeks? Why the hell didn't you call me?" Sheriff Sogard roared as he stormed off the elevator with his deputy.

"We've been a little busy, Sheriff," Kensi snapped. "Deeks took out Ben Big Horse. His body's in the ICU."

Her sharp response slowed him down. "No shit?"

"He stabbed your deputy," Deeks said. "Doctors are with him now."

"Nobody leaves. I'll need statements from each of you," he ordered and walked past them to where his deputy was being lifted onto a gurney.

"Does he mean us as well?" Alison asked with a hint of panic in her voice.

"You're both witnesses," Kensi said.

"But you can tell him what happened," she replied, more distraught than she should be, Deeks thought.

"It won't be long, Alison," Deeks said. "It's just part of the investigation."

"I need to call my husband," she mumbled. "He won't be pleased we have been detained."

"I'm sure he'll understand, Mrs. Kemp," Kensi said.

"Tu ne connais pas mon mari," Alison snapped.

"You're right. I don't know your husband, but you witnessed an attempted murder and a shooting," Kensi said. "And you're required to give a statement whether your husband likes it or not."

"Kens…" Deeks was surprised by her vehemence.

"She's right, Mom." Molly said, finally coming out of her stupor. "We can't just leave. It would be like running away…like we did something wrong…or were afraid."

"I was afraid, ma petite," Alison said, grabbing her daughter's hands. "I was scared to death. That man could have killed you. I don't know what I would do if I lost you. You're my life."

"I was scared too, Maman," Molly said softly. "But we have to be brave now, okay?"

"But, your father…" Alison whispered.

"Don't call him that," Molly said, pulling away. "I know he's not my father, so you can stop pretending he is."

…

…


	14. Chapter 14

**Choices**

_Chapter 14_

…

The hurt and surprise in Alison's eyes after finding out Molly had discovered her most closely held secret, was painful to witness. The fact that Sheffield Kemp was not Molly's father had stunned Deeks, and he couldn't get it out of his mind. Alison was a proud woman who now seemed diminished, clearly wounded by the coldness of her daughter's accusation. The conversation between them that followed was held entirely in hushed French. Deeks could only read their body language, but it wasn't difficult to see how catastrophic the revelation had been to their relationship. Watching Molly express her anger, made him wonder how long she had known. Maybe her interest in Soldier was part of her response, a way to act out against her parents. Soldier had told him early on that she was afraid of her father, which made him wonder if he knew she wasn't his.

He looked over at Kensi, hoping she would share what she'd overheard, but she shook her head and walked away.

"Kens?" He hurried after her, surprised by her reaction.

"I'm not going to share what they said, Deeks," she whispered, clearly irritated with him.

"Why not?"

"Because it was a private conversation," she replied. "And it's none of our business, and has nothing to do with what's been going on."

"You sure about that?" He said. "You sure Molly wasn't just using Soldier as a way to piss off her parents?"

"You don't know that."

"She dragged him into the middle of their family drama, Kens. She knows Sheffield Kemp hates Indians…so maybe she decided to parade Soldier right under her father's nose because she's angry that her whole life has been a lie."

Her expression changed as she thought about what he'd said, then pulled him further down the hall and began speaking softly to him.

"I don't think Kemp knows. Alison told Molly that Sheffield loves her, and pleaded with her not to tell him."

"So If Alison didn't tell her husband or her, how'd Molly find out?"

"She refused to say," Kensi replied. "But she didn't find out on her own. Somebody told her."

"One of her brothers, maybe?" Deeks said. "Something is going on in that family that's not good, and we're all caught in the middle of it."

"It sounds like you want to get into the middle of it," she said.

"I already am, Kens. All of us are. One of the Kemps is involved with Dever, a man who just sent a man to kill Soldier. Aren't you the least bit curious to find out what this is all about?"

"Of course I am, but we can't prove Dever sent Ben Big Horse here. At least not until we catch him," she replied. "Dever's the link in all of this. He's the only one who can give us the other players, including which Kemp is involved."

"So let's go to Elan's and catch the sonofabitch," Deeks said. "By then, maybe Alison will remember how she knew Dever's name."

They spent the next hour giving statements to the sheriff, and trying to calm down George and Jim Littleshield, who had returned from dinner out, only to walk into a crime scene. Once they were allowed into the area, George hovered close by as Deeks gave a detailed account to Sheriff Sogard on how he'd handled the situation. He could tell the old rancher was deeply unsettled by the fact that another attempt had been made on Soldier's life. His face had hardened into resolve, and his eyes had shifted toward cold anger. Deeks had a good idea that neither he nor Jim would be leaving Soldier alone until Dever was caught. Elan and Jim were with the boy now, and would be until they could take him home.

"That man didn't hurt you, did he, son?" George asked, when the sheriff stepped away to make a phone call.

"I'm good, George," he replied as the man looked him over, his hand squeezing Deeks' shoulder. "Kensi was in more danger than I was."

"You both saved Soldier's life," he said, his voice fading at the end. "I don't know what to say…"

"You don't have to say anything. We love that kid, and did what we were trained to do," Deeks said gently.

"It was more than that, son," George said, shaking his head. "You were both willing to die for that boy…for family. I know I shouldn't be surprised by that after what you did for Joe, but I want you to know that the way you fought to protect Soldier tonight means a lot to me. I thank God for you, son. For both of you."

George's hugs had always been the wordless expression of his deepest feelings. And those hugs were almost as powerful as his love. From the very first time till now, Deeks always became emotional whenever George hugged him, and now was no different. The strong old rancher wiped at his eyes when he stepped back, patting Deeks softly on the cheek before turning to walk into the ICU to be with Soldier. It took Deeks a moment to collect himself, once again feeling that deep bond he cherished as if it were life itself.

"Had a disturbing conversation with Elan Hand after I took his statement," Sogard said, interrupting his reverie. "He wasn't too pleased that Benjamin Big Horse got by my deputy and into Soldier's room."

"Are you?" Deeks asked.

"Dammit! Of course I'm not," Sogard spit out. "But Big Horse was in hospital scrubs. And even after being stabbed, my deputy still managed to get a shot off."

"Just wished he'd hit him," Deeks replied, recalling his fear when he saw Kensi trying to take down a man almost twice her size.

"You're wife is scary," Sogard said, as if he knew what he'd been thinking. "Soldier was lucky she was here. What she did was damn impressive."

"She's a ninja warrior, brother."

"Speaking of warriors…Elan wants to arm himself," Sogard said. "He's determined to stay in Soldier's room until we catch these bastards."

"Can you blame him?"

"No, but he's a civilian, Deeks," the sheriff said.

"Not if you deputize him," he replied, smiling at the surprised look on Sogard's face. "You're down two deputies. And Elan's not some loose cannon. He's an ex-Army Ranger, and he's worked Federal cases with NCIS before. Admit it. You could use him."

"Sounds like the Old West," Sogard said, shaking his head. "But hell, if I can legally do it, I will. Already going off book anyway. Called Pete Hartman over in Saratoga. Asked him to help out. The smart ass told me he was bringing body armor for him and the two cops he's loaning me."

"Can't really fault him for that," Deeks said, smiling in spite of the reason behind the police chief's snark. "Did you meet Callen?"

"Now there's a man I wouldn't want to tangle with," Sogard replied. "What's his story?"

"Too long to tell and too private to share even if I wanted to," Deeks said.

"Well he wasted no time in telling me he considers this a Federal case because of what happened to you," Sogard said, obviously not pleased. "Claims he doesn't want to take over the whole case. Just wants to get the men responsible for trying to kill you and that boy. Sounded personal."

"We're brothers," Deeks said. "And he has a special connection to Soldier."

"Claimed he'd share any intel your team found," Sogard said. "That true? Cause I've never found that to be the case when I worked with Feds in the past."

"You can trust him. If he said he'll share, he will," Deeks assured him.

"You both work for that Hetty woman?"

"That 'Hetty woman', as you call her, would eat you for lunch," Deeks laughed. "Keep her on your side or duck, because the fallout will take your head off."

"Are you threatening an officer of the law, Agent Deeks?" Sogard asked, but with a slight smile.

"I like you Sheriff. It's good advice, believe me," Deeks said.

"I'm not interested in pissing off any Fed. I got enough on my plate to worry about," Sogard said. "You still setting up a stake-out up at Elan's place?"

"Yeah…we are," Deeks replied. "Kensi went on ahead to pick up additional weapons at the ranch."

"Hope the bastard shows up," Sogard said. "I'm gonna go see how my deputy's doing, but let me know how things turn out. This is more than a Federal case to me. My deputy was killed, and another is fighting for his life right now. I want these guys more than you or Callen."

"Copy that."

…

"Sheriff Sogard didn't seem too pleased to have another Federal agent poking around," Callen said as he bounced over the final rise to Elan's place.

"Maybe it's just you," Deeks snarked. "He thinks I'm awesome."

"Of course he does," Callen said with a smirk. "But it looks like it didn't stop him from sending us some local backup."

"Seriously?"

"Who?" Kensi asked, as their headlights lit up a green pickup parked in front of the cabin.

"Game Warden Henry Tarver," Deeks said.

"A game warden?" Callen said, sounding a little insulted.

"He's a friend of Joe's from high school," Deeks said. "Ex-Marine. Did a tour in Iraq. Don't let the title fool you. He's a good guy and a good cop."

Henry was leaning against the door of his pickup, but pushed away and walked over when they pulled up beside him.

"Go ahead and park behind the cabin. I'll follow you," Tarver ordered, turning without another word.

"Well, he doesn't lack confidence," Callen said, not exactly pleased, but started the engine anyway and complied.

Once the vehicles were safely out of sight, Tarver introduced himself to Callen, and handed him a flashlight.

"I know what you and Deeks did for Joe in Louisiana," Henry said as they walked back around to the front of the cabin. "Took him awhile to tell me, and I'm pretty sure he didn't shared everything either. What I am sure of…is that he wouldn't have made it out of there without you two. That still bothers him, but that new baby girl should pull him out of what's left of the shit he's still dealing with."

"Do you have children?" Kensi asked as they climbed the three steps up to the porch.

"Me? No. Divorced," he replied quickly. "With this job, marriage and kids just didn't work out. Gone too much…and this life was too dangerous for my wife to take. She left after a poacher shot my horse out from under me. Took me three days to hike down out of the mountains. By the time I got within cell range to call her, she said she was done. Couldn't blame her. Probably a good thing we never had kids."

Kensi looked over at Deeks, but he turned away. Now was not the time to revisit those past conversations. It would just muddle his mind when he needed to concentrate on the coming stake-out. Kensi had made a commitment to him, and he had made one in return. As disturbing as it was to hear that Tarver's wife had left him because she couldn't handle the dangers of his job, he knew Kensi would never do that, and he looked over and smiled at her. She loved her job, and that's what made their discussions about children so contentious. Soldier had caused some of her stubbornness on the subject to shift. He had been a hurt little boy when they first met, and the motherly instincts she denied having had come to light. It's one of the things she didn't like to talk about.

"Let it go, Deeks," he whispered to himself. "Focus."

A half moon had risen, and it provided a subtle glimpse of the corral and the fence that surrounded the pasture where the blue roan wandered through Elan's herd. The animal was restless, and walked in a slow circle around the enclosure with its head down. The stand of lodgepole pines just beyond, presented a dark backdrop like an impenetrable wall, but it offered the closest cover for anyone approaching the corral.

"He'll probably come from the trees," Tarver said, confirming what Deeks was thinking.

"Not much cover for us without the barn," Callen said.

"There is if you don't mind getting dirty," Tarver said. "The bottom logs at the back of the barn survived the fire. They're pretty charred, but should make a good blind."

"I can set up inside the cabin," Kensi said. "The side window has a perfect line of sight to that corral. I'll be able to cover all of you once I know exactly where you are."

"Gear up. It's late," Callen said, pulling his weapon and checking it, while the others checked theirs.

"So just to clarify…we're assuming he's going to ride the blue roan out of here?" Deeks asked. "What's to stop him from driving up here with a horse trailer?"

"It's possible," Tarver considered. "Be a damn bold move though."

"It'd be noisy, too," Callen said. "He'd have to assume no one was here."

"Maybe that's why Ben Big Horse made an attempt on Soldier tonight," Tarver reasoned. "That would draw all of your family out of here."

"Well, If he does drive up here, I'll take out his tires," Kensi said. "He won't get far after that."

"Just remember, Kens, we want this guy alive," Deeks said. "There are a lot of questions we need answers to."

"Button up, Deeks. It's cold out there," Callen said, smiling and slapping him on the back as he picked up the flashlight and tramped down the steps. "Let's go get dirty."

"Wish we had comms," Deeks said.

Callen stopped and turned to face him. "We can use our phones for that."

"You been taking lessons from the Wonder Twins again?" Deeks laughed.

"Like Hetty says…you're never too old to learn a new skill," Callen replied with a smirk.

"I'm tech illiterate," Henry Tarver said, handing Callen his cell phone. "Just tell me what button to push."

They tested the set up with all the phones on vibrate. Whoever saw something could alert the others without giving away their position. Deeks found his spot behind the water trough in the small corral beside the remains of the barn. It still made him sad to see that weathered old structure reduced to a pile of rubble. It was part of the Atwood's history. Callen waved before he dropped down behind the blackened logs of what was left of the barn's back corner. Tarver trotted out to a low outcropping of granite on the far side of the road by the aspen grove. The trap was set. Now all they could do was wait in the cold, hoping Dever really did love that blue roan.

…

Deeks had no idea how long he'd been lying prone on the ground, but he was wet from melting snow and couldn't feel his fingers or his toes when the horses began to snort and mill around. Their heads were up and their ears pricked forward as they crowded against the fence. All of them faced in the direction just the opposite of where they thought Dever would come from. Deeks felt his phone vibrate and quickly moved to position himself so he could see out across the meadow.

A single horseman rode out of the aspens. It was difficult to make him out in the dim light of the half moon. He had come from the direction of the ranch, and that made Deeks anxious. He searched the sky for any sign of smoke, afraid the ranch might have suffered the same fate as Elan's barn. His mare Sheila was in the barn, along with all of their horses and a couple of mares with new foals. Jim Littleshield had asked a couple of his Arapaho friends to watch over the place, but that wasn't exactly reassuring after everything that had happened.

The horseman waited a long time before urging his horse forward. He moved cautiously, doing recon as he crossed the meadow. When he pulled up halfway to the corral, Deeks got a clear view of the man. He had a rifle in his arms, and long dark hair fell to his shoulders from beneath a beat up cowboy hat. He had no beard. Whoever this man was, it wasn't Wayne Dever. The rider passed between him and where Henry Tarver was hiding. He was focused on the horses lining the fence of the corral, and didn't see the game warden when he rose and walked out across the road with his rifle in a firing position. When the intruder dismounted, Deeks got up, and Callen did the same.

"Drop that rifle or I'll shoot you where you stand," Tarver shouted.

The man froze, but he didn't let go of the rifle.

"There are four guns aimed at you, mister," Callen warned. "Three of us are Federal Agents, and one is the local game warden. We're all cold and wet and a little grumpy, so unless you want to get shot, I suggest you drop your weapon."

The man tossed the rifle aside and in the same motion leaped onto the back of his horse. Kensi shot him out of the saddle. He was screaming curses when Deeks reached him.

"Ain't payback a bitch?" Deeks said as he stood over the writhing figure of Tyler Yellowsky.

"Should have killed you when I had the chance," he groaned.

"What are you doing here, Yellowsky?" Henry Tarver asked. "Dever send you?"

"Fuck you, Tarver," Yellowsky spit out, gripping the wound in his arm. "You just shot an unarmed man."

"That would be me," Kensi said, jogging up to join them. "You're lucky they wanted you alive."

"Who the hell are you, bitch?" Yellowsky growled.

Deeks kicked him. "That's my wife, douchebag, so watch your mouth."

Tarver shooed the man's horse away while Callen and Deeks yanked him to his feet, and shoved him up against the fence.

"You came from the direction of the Atwood Ranch. You get an itch to burn something else down?" Deeks yelled, just inches from the man's face.

"I ain't telling you nothin' till I see a doctor," he spit out.

"What would you say if I told you we weren't in the mood to grant that wish?" Callen said.

"That ain't fair," the man whimpered. "I didn't do nothin' to the Atwood place."

"Good to know. We'd be more than willing to help you if you answer our questions," Deeks said, feeling relieved. "What do you think, Callen? If he were to cooperate, would we be more inclined to stop him from bleeding out?"

"I don't know that he deserves that kind of consideration, Agent Deeks,". Callen replied easily. "He did try and kill you. And since you attempted to kill a Federal agent, Mr. Yellowsky, you'll be charged with a Federal crime."

"I didn't know that…nobody told us there was gonna be a Fed here," the man babbled.

"And who might that 'nobody' be?" Deeks asked.

"I'm hurtin' here, Tarver," Yellowsky pleaded. "Come on, man. Help me."

"And why would I do that?" Tarver said. "Your buddy Ben Big Horse just tried to kill a thirteen year old boy in the hospital, and stabbed a deputy sheriff in the process. If you're a part of that, or know who ordered it, you better tell us, or it's gonna be a real long night and an even longer prison sentence."

The man looked stunned. "Those stupid bastards didn't tell me that was part of the plan."

"Which stupid bastards are we talking about?" Deeks asked.

"Wayne Dever and his boss," Yellowsky said.

"Who's his boss?" Callen asked.

"Sonofabitch named Jonas Beck," he replied. "Now can I go to the hospital?"

"I think we're going to need a few more details," Callen said.

Deeks opened his mouth to ask about Kemp, but Callen must have read his mind, subtly shaking his head no.

"But first, Kensi here will read you your rights," Callen said. "Then we'll take you inside and look at that wound. When we get the bleeding stopped you're going to tell us everything you know. Deal?"

"Yeah…okay. Deal." Yellowsky said.

"I'm calling Sheriff Sogard," Tarver said. "He'll want to question him about the killings up at Kemp's hunting lodge."

"Hey, Henry…I didn't have nothin' to do with that, man," Tyler Yellowsky said, sounding scared. "That was Dever and Beck's deal. It was a screw up for sure, but I didn't have no part in it."

"Do you know what Harley and Bryce we're doing up there?" Deeks asked. "What were they after?"

"I can't talk about that," he replied. "That's deep down the rabbit hole shit."

"You're pretty far down the rabbit hole yourself, Tyler," Tarver said, showing visible anger for the first time. "Three men and sheriff's deputy were killed, and we need to know why. Was it drug related? Was one of the Kemps using that lodge as a drop?"

"If I tell you about any of that shit…I'm dead," he said weakly.

"I thought we had a deal, Mr. Yellowsky," Callen said. "You were going to tell us everything. Did you lie to a Federal agent?"

"More charges. Longer sentence," Kensi told him.

"Better than being dead," he said.

"Were they after Molly Kemp?" Deeks asked.

"All I did was burn down a fuckin' barn," Yellowsky whispered, groaning as his knees buckled.

"And who hired you to do that?" Deeks asked as he held him up.

Tyler Yellowsky's head dropped to his chest, and Callen shot a look at Deeks that told him to back off.

"Tarver? Help Deeks get him inside," Callen said. "I'm going to run a check on this Jonas Beck character."

"Sogard's on his way," Henry replied.

"How's the deputy?" Kensi asked.

"Out of surgery and expected to recover," Henry Tarver said with a flickering smile as he took Yellowsky's arm from Callen. "Guess we better not let this dickhead bleed out before the sheriff gets here. Old Tommy isn't in the best of moods right now."

"Why's that?" Deeks asked, grunting at the weight of the barely conscious Arapaho.

"Sheffield Kemp called him. Verbally kicked his ass for detaining his wife," Henry replied. "Asked him when she would be released."

"Is Sogard still questioning her?" Kensi asked as she followed them to the cabin.

"Nope. Alison Kemp told Tommy she was taking Molly some place where they could talk privately," he said. "When he relayed that information to Sheffield, Tom said the man lost his shit and started swearing. Demanded to know exactly where they were. When he told him he had no idea, Kemp called him a few unkind names, and threatened to make sure he lost his badge in the next election."

"How'd the sheriff take that?" Deeks asked as they dragged Tyler Yellowsky up onto the porch.

"Tommy asked him if he wanted the money back that he'd already donated to his campaign," Henry said with a smart-ass grin. "Kemp likes to hedge his bets. Donates to both sides so whoever wins owes him. But Tommy doesn't play well with others when it comes to shit like that."

"And honest sheriff then," Deeks said as he pushed open the door and helped haul Tyler Yellowsky over to the couch.

"And a good one," Tarver said, as he started getting the wounded man out of his coat. "Got a first aid kit around?"

Kensi handed him one. "Had it ready in case things went bad tonight."

Tarver made quick work of tying up the wound in Yellowsky's arm. The man remained quiet throughout, cursing only once when the game warden tied off the bandage.

"Why'd Dever send you here instead of coming himself?" Deeks asked from the kitchen, where he'd started making coffee.

"Had other plans," Yellowsky replied.

"Like what?" Tarver asked.

"Sheriff just drove in," Callen said from the doorway. "He's driving like Sam during a pursuit, and there's another car right behind him."

"That can't be good," Kensi said.

Car doors slammed and heavy footsteps pounded on the stairs and porch. Callen stepped aside as the sheriff yanked open the screen door, but it was Dalton and Purty Kemp that pushed through ahead of him. Their faces were hard and when they spotted Deeks in the kitchen, they charged him. They manhandled him back in a rush and he hit the counter hard, almost going down as the men shouted at him.

"I should kill you, you hippy fuck," Dalton screamed in his face and raised his fist.

Callen pulled Dalton off him before he could land a punch and shoved him into Henry Tarver's arms. Everyone was shouting, but Deeks could make no sense of any of it as he tried to defend himself. When he checked on Kensi, she was putting Purty Kemp in a chokehold. It was chaos until the sheriff waded into the middle of it all.

"Let him go!" Sogard shouted at Kensi, and she reluctantly pushed Purty away. "Now everybody just calm the fuck down."

"What the hell is this about, Sheriff?" Callen said, his hand on Deeks' chest, keeping him from retaliating.

"This fuck attacked Alison at our hunting lodge," Dalton said, fuming as he pointed at Deeks.

"She might not make it," Purty coughed out, his hand on his throat.

Deeks was stunned by the accusation even though he had done nothing wrong. His mind was racing as he searched for a reason someone would attack Alison, and who that person might be.

"You're wrong," Henry Tarver said. "He's been here all night."

"We came here straight from the hospital," Kensi added.

"But Alison said your name when we found her," Purty said.

"It wasn't Deeks. Now tell us what happened." Callen demanded.

"Alison managed to call home and got these two," Sogard said.

"She told us where she was," Purty interrupted. "But we couldn't understand much else."

"When we got to the lodge, we found her beat to hell," Dalton spit out, and stepped close to Deeks. "We asked her who did it, but she could barely speak. The only name we could understand was yours."

"What about Molly?" Deeks asked. "Where is she?"

"Dever took her," Tyler Yellowsky said from the couch. "Just like they planned all along."

…

…


	15. Chapter 15

**Choices**

_Chapter 15_

…

Tyler Yellowsky's pronouncement had taken the air out of the room. The two Kemp brothers had been stunned into silence, like the others. To Deeks it had been the clarification of a belief long held, but rarely spoken of…one that floated in the back of his mind to be examined whenever he had a chance to think about it. He'd been right all along that Molly was the target that day up at the hunting lodge, not that he wanted to gloat about it. The sheriff had almost convinced him it was drug related, but he had instinctively known deep down that wasn't the whole story.

They all seemed to be moving in slow motion, grappling with the reality of the attack on Alison, reasoning with their anger, hoping to keep it under control. It was Purty Kemp who failed first.

"You sonofabitch!" Purty was on the wounded man before anyone could stop him.

Yellowsky didn't have the strength to fight him off, suffering a brief, but violent beat down before Sheriff Sogard could pull Purty off him. Callen had Dalton under control, but just barely. When all the shouting was over and tempers controlled, it was Deeks who sat down on the low table in front of Tyler Yellowsky and began to question him.

"So…Dever has Molly…Yeah? Do you know where he's taken her?"

"I'm just the hired help, man. Think those bastards would trust an Indian with that kind of stuff?" Tyler was surly as he wiped the smear of blood off his busted lip. "I'd overhear 'em talkin' sometimes, but I sure as hell wasn't invited to the big powwows."

"Do you know who was?"

The man stole a look at Dalton and then smirked, staring at Purty for a long time. "You fuckers don't know shit. S'pose to be this big deal family with a fuck load of money and land. You suck off your big daddy's tit, and act all high and mighty like you earned all that shit yourself."

Dalton lunged for him, but Henry Tarver got in front of him and with Callen's help, managed to keep him from getting to the man. Deeks could see hate in the eyes of both Kemps, and saw the same dark hate when he turned to look at Tyler Yellowsky. It fueled all three of them.

"Tell us what you know, man," Deeks said. "You must want to or you wouldn't have told us that Dever has Molly."

"Maybe I'll just keep my big old secret and watch these fuckers twist themselves into knots," Tyler said with a sick cackle.

"She's just a little girl, Tyler," Deeks said.

"She's a damn Kemp," he shot back.

"No she's not."

"Deeks…" Kensi sounded alarmed by his decision to reveal that secret.

"What the hell does that mean?" Purty asked.

"Sheffield Kemp isn't Molly's father," he replied evenly, watching the confusion grow on both of the brother's faces.

"That's a lie," Dalton looked fierce in his denial.

"Molly knew somehow. She told her mother she knew, and Alison pleaded with her not to tell your father," Deeks said. "Somebody told Molly, and I think it was someone in your family."

"Bullshit!" Purty shouted.

"Bet I know who did," Tyler Yellowsky cackled again, and Deeks wanted to punch him in the face.

"Why don't you tell us, Yellowsky," Sogard said. "Cause if that girl dies, I'm charging you with kidnapping and murder."

"I didn't take her and I ain't killed nobody," he said, looking outraged.

"You tried though, didn't you?" Deeks' expression was cold when he asked. "You forget you tried to drag me into a burning barn to die?"

"Fuck you," he said, withdrawing into himself, making Deeks concerned that he might stop talking.

"You know who told Molly about her father, don't you?" Deeks said with certainty. "That's a pretty damn big bargaining chip for a man facing the prison sentence you are. Tell us who told her and the sheriff here might consider you an informant instead of an accomplice."

Yellowsky raise his head and stared at him with hooded eyes, calculating his chances of getting out of this.

"What have you got to lose?" Tarver asked.

"You seen what they did to Harley and Bryce," he replied, his voice hitching as he spoke their names. "Jonas Beck don't like screwups. Just ask Charley Pine."

"What happened to Charley?" Sogard asked.

"Beck was pissed when we left this asshole as a witness," Tyler pointed a bloody finger at Deeks as if the whole thing was his fault. "Had Dever take Charley up to his elk camp below Bennett Peak. Beck said he wanted to teach us a lesson. Dever tortured him. Made Ben and me watch. Don't know what they did with Charley's body, but I sure as hell got the message."

"You sure it was Bennett Peak?" Henry Tarver loomed over the man, and Deeks stood up and pushed him back. "Ask him again Deeks. Ask him who told Molly that Sheffield Kemp wasn't her father. I need to know."

"You've got someone in mind, don't you?" Deeks whispered, realizing this concerned his brother, and Henry nodded slightly.

Deeks sat down again and leaned toward the man. "This is your chance, Tyler. I know you're scared and maybe feeling a little vindictive, but we can protect you from Jonas Beck and Dever. But we're not going to do that unless you help us find Molly. And if Dever doesn't kill you, we'll make sure you spend the rest of your life in a hellhole Federal prison. And we got some real nasty ones. Tell him, G."

"The one that comes to mind is that real old rundown prison in Louisiana," Callen said. "Hot and muggy down there. Lots of inmate fights…guys getting shanked in the dinner line, or while they're in the yard or the showers. Lots of racists in there. Some of those good old boys still pledge allegiance to the Klu Klux Klan. White supremacy is king down there, Tyler. Not a good place for an Arapaho."

"He serious?" Tyler was starting to sweat just a little.

"It's not him you have to worry about. It's my boss. She really likes me. She was very upset when she found out you tried to kill me," Deeks said. "She's old school, and very vengeful. She'd send you there in a heartbeat."

"But you said you'd protect me, right? Even though I tried to kill you?"

"I have a very forgiving nature," Deeks said, smiling briefly at the man. "At least for the next ten seconds. Tell us what we want to know or times up, and the deal's off."

"You're a asshole, man. Wish I'd seen you burn," Yellowsky snarling out his true nature.

"Time's up."

Yellowsky let out a long resigned breath, and slumped back into the couch. "Let me think, okay? It might be worth it to watch these two shit their pants."

Deeks saw a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes as the man nervously licked at the cut on his lip. It was like looking at an abused dog who'd been cornered, trying to decide whether to fight or submit, and trust the hand offered. It was hard to believe that this sorry looking criminal was related to Soldier. Although he could find no sympathy for him, he thought he could use their relationship to get through to the man.

"Bella Moss was your cousin, right? Her son Soldier is too," Deeks leaned in close, speaking softly to the man, seeking that one connection that might break through his reluctance. "They're your family."

"So what?"

"Dever tried to kill Soldier early this morning. Stabbed him with that knife of his," Deeks shuddered at his own words. "You didn't know that, did you?"

"How bad?" Tyler's shocked response was the crack Deeks needed.

"He's in the ICU," he told him. "Soldier lost a lot of blood…the same blood that runs through your veins."

"Is he gonna be okay?"

"He's a fighter…like his father," Deeks said. "Soldier saw Dever kill Frankie Leader. Dever caught him. He stabbed him, Tyler. The kid is thirteen. But Soldier somehow got away on that blue roan Dever sent you here to get back for him."

"That fuckin' bastard."

"Who ordered Dever to kidnap Molly, Tyler?"

The man's eyes went dark and feral, and he glowered at the two Kemp brothers. "Mase Kemp."

Purty looked as if he'd been slapped, but there was a hint of something else there as well. He didn't seem particularly surprised by the revelation, as if he knew something his brother apparently didn't. Dalton was seething, his fists clinched tightly and his muscles taut, his body rigid as if he were a stick of dynamite ready to explode. The only thing keeping him from attacking Tyler Yellowsky was the firm grip Callen and Tarver had on him.

"You can't believe this guy. He's a fucking liar…a criminal," Dalton argued. "Mase wouldn't do that. He has no reason. Molly's his sister…"

"You sure about all that?" Purty asked, breathing the words out cautiously. "Mase talked to me about it at Christmas. He was drunk and really pissed, Dalton. He wanted to prove Molly wasn't Dad's, because Colly told him Dad is going to legally transfer the deed to Echo Springs over to Molly on her birthday this year."

"He is?"

"What's Echo Springs?" Kensi asked.

"A natural gas field west of Rawlins with over six hundred wells on it," Dalton replied. "Mase has been trying to get his hands on that tract for a couple of years. Was always begging Dad to at least let him manage it. Dad laughed at him."

"That's a pretty damn rich field," Sogard said. "Millions of dollars in yearly revenue for whoever owns it."

"Sounds like Sheffield Kemp cares about his daughter's future," Kensi said.

"And that obviously pissed Masefield off," Tarver said. "But kidnapping her? How did he expect to get away with that?"

"Mase didn't want her kidnapped," Yellowsky said. "He wanted her taken all right, but he wanted Dever to kill her and find a way to blame it on Elan Hand. Figured his daddy hated Indians so much he wouldn't even question it. Jonas Beck cares about money, too, and he wants to collect a big fat ransom for her first."

"Let's hope Beck wins that argument for now," Callen said. "Because whoever wins, they'll kill her eventually."

"Where would Dever take her, Tyler?" Deeks asked. "You know what'll happen to you if she dies. Sheriff Sogard will charge you as an accessory to murder. A high profile murder."

All the fight seemed to go out of Tyler Yellowsky. He looked afraid and resigned to the fact that he had no options except to cooperate.

"I saw Soldier at his mother's funeral," Tyler spoke quietly as if reliving a good time in his life instead of a sad one. "I could tell he was a tough little guy. A warrior. I liked that about him."

"Then help us find the man who tried to kill him," Deeks urged. "Soldier is crazy about Molly. He thinks he's in love. Help us stop Dever before he kills her."

"He'll take her high up into the mountains," he said, finally giving in and sounding eager to tell them anything they wanted to know.

"Bennett Peak on the North Platte? Where he took Charley Pine?" Tarver asked.

"That's a rough fuckin' place…but maybe," Tyler replied. "He's got a small cabin up in the Sierra Madre too. Was up there with him once…with one of the cowboys he worked with on the Silver Spur Ranch."

"Got a name for that cowboy?" Sogard asked.

"Sounded like a dog's name…Toby, I think," he replied.

"Sonofabitch!" Deeks caught Sogard's eye, and they both shook their heads. Deeks had been right. That guy knew more than what he'd shared the day they'd interviewed him and his brother, Teddy. He might even be involved, but even if he wasn't, Sogard could still cite him for withholding information in a murder investigation. And Deeks wouldn't be sorry about that at all.

"Where is this cabin exactly?" Sogard asked.

"West side of Bridger Peak between Jack Creek and Spring Creek Lake."

"He wouldn't be able to get her up there tonight," Sogard said. "It's been snowing at the higher elevations, and the closest roads are closed."

"He could on a snowmobile," Tarver said. "He's used them before."

"We'll have to split up to check all the possible locations…and we better do it fast," Callen said, and turned to face the two Kemps. "Has anyone contacted your father? Does he know what's happened?"

"He knows. He's probably at the hospital with Alison," Purty said.

"Does your dad speak French?" Deeks asked. "Or understand it?"

"Hell no. He calls it a sissy language," Dalton said, as if he believed that too.

"Then I think Kensi should go talk with Alison, if she's conscious," Deeks said, looking at his wife, who nodded her agreement. "She can ask questions in French and discuss facts that Alison doesn't want her husband to know about."

"I'll have Chief Hartman speak with Sheffield," Sheriff Sogard said and pulled his phone. "I'll get him up to speed about a possible ransom call."

"We need to stay in contact, so we all need to share phone numbers," Callen said.

"That won't do us any good up in the mountains. No signal up there," Tarver said.

"What about Mase?" Purty asked.

"Do you know where he is?" Deeks asked.

"No," he replied, looking defensive. "Are you going to arrest him?"

"I'll have to bring him in for questioning, Purty. You know that," Sogard said.

"Just cause this asshole says he was part of this, doesn't mean it's true," Dalton took a menacing step toward Tyler, who looked at him and cackled. "He could be lying just to get back at us."

"For what?" Sogard asked.

"All the Indians hate us," he replied. "We don't put up with all their whiney shit about the white man stealing their land."

"Is that why you wouldn't let the Atwood's and Elan on your property?" Deeks asked. "Afraid they'll stick a flag in it and take it back?"

"Okay, guys. That's enough," Sogard said. "Now's not the time to get into an argument over that touchy subject. Molly's in the hands of a killer, and we need to find her."

That sobered them all, and Deeks felt bad for letting Dalton bait him, but he couldn't help responding to the man's irritating arrogance. Kensi moved in close to him and rubbed her hand up and down his back, her gentle gesture of solidarity helping him focus on what they had to do.

"We need to track down Jonas Beck. He's the one driving the ransom demand, and until he gets his money Molly will stay alive," Callen said. "There are a couple of outstanding Federal warrants out on him. Apparently he has connections with a major drug cartel south of the border. DEA was aware of him, but not aware he'd left North Dakota."

"Oops," Deeks said, finally able to smile about something. "I'm assuming they're widening their search."

"That won't help us at this hour," Callen replied. "It's one in the morning."

"Not in LA. Beale will still be up," Deeks said. "He can track down Beck's holdings in the area…if he has any."

Callen nodded and pulled his phone, quickly making contact and giving Eric his orders. Just as he got off the phone, everyone turned to look at Sheriff Sogard when he let out an explosive series of curses as he stared at his phone.

"Now what?" Tarver asked.

"Trouble we didn't need. Sheffield Kemp got into it with Elan in the ICU," he replied, swearing softly to himself. "Alison was being admitted when Kemp saw Elan in Soldier's room. He accused Elan of being involved in what happened to his wife and demanded to know where he took Molly."

"Sonofabitch," Deeks said, wondering if Kemp was still standing.

"Was Soldier awake?" Kensi asked quickly and Deeks realized she was concerned how the news about Molly had affected him.

"Unfortunately he was," Sogard replied. "Tried to get out of bed…"

"Sheriff?" Deeks asked, suddenly worried when he stopped talking mid sentence.

"They had to sedate him before he hurt himself," he said. "Kept fighting to get out of bed. He wanted to go look for her. Made his father promise to find her."

"What did Elan do?" Deeks asked.

"Stayed with his boy until he fell asleep," Sogard said.

"And after that?" Callen asked.

"Pete Hartman was there by then," he replied. "He told Sheffield and Elan both what we learned here tonight. Pete said it was the first time he'd seen Sheffield at a loss for words. Elan, on the other hand, didn't say anything, but Pete said we're all lucky looks can't kill."

"Is Elan coming?" Deeks asked.

"They both are," Sogard replied.

"Does my dad know about Mase?" Purty asked. "Or about Molly…you know…about her not being his?"

"Your father knows Mase was involved, just not the details," the sheriff said. "I didn't tell Pete Hartman anything about Molly's heritage. Can't risk that kind of information getting out."

"Good call, Sheriff," Callen said. "If they think Molly isn't Kemp's daughter…"

"Them assholes will kill her and cut out," Tyler Yellowsky said. "They won't stick around if there ain't no money in it."

The reality of the statement brought the conversation to a standstill. Deeks felt drained and exhausted, and searched his pocket for one of the pain meds he'd been prescribed at the hospital. His head and ribs were throbbing and his throat burned from talking too much. The smell of smoke from the fire still clung to his skin. Kensi must have noticed he was hurting, and followed him into the kitchen where he drew himself a glass of water. She looked concerned, and it made him smile. He wanted nothing more than to pull her close, to find comfort in the warmth of her body.

"You need to rest, baby," she said.

"Is that an invitation to sneak into Elan's bed for a romp with your husband?"

"No, you idiot…although that does sound pretty good," she replied with a quick smile. "It means I don't think you should go running around in the dark all night after just getting out of the hospital."

"Isn't that what I've already been doing, Kens?"

"Yes…and you're exhausted," she replied. "You can't play me, Deeks. I'm your partner."

"Really? Is that what that ceremony was all about?"

"Partners…and wives, I assume…know these things, Deeks," Callen said as he walked up to them. "You should listen to her."

"Like you do whatever Sam tells you," Deeks scoffed.

"It's not about that, and you know it," he replied. "It's about being honest with yourself. It's too great a risk if you're not fully operational out there. And right now, you look like shit, Deeks. You can barely keep your eyes open."

"Wow…don't hold back, brother," Deeks taking a step away from both of them. "Thanks…I feel encouraged and uplifted by your support. Yours too, Mrs. Bleeks."

"See, smartass? You're irritated and crotchety. A clear sign you're not up to pulling an all nighter," Callen smirked and squeezed his shoulder, breaking the tension between them.

"None of us are going anywhere tonight, except maybe to bed for a few hours," Sheriff Sogard called out. "When Elan and Sheffield get here, we'll make plans for forming teams and heading out at first light. We don't know where Dever's holding Molly, and I can't risk losing any more men…or Kensi, tromping around in the dark in rough terrain. It's too dangerous, and if you get lost, you'd be on your own. I don't have enough men to come find you."

"You want us to leave Molly alone all night with that bastard Dever?" Purty asked.

"No I don't, but it's the only choice we have right now," the sheriff said softly. "We'll have a better chance finding them when we can see where we're going. We'll know more when they call your dad with the ransom demand."

"We can ask for proof of life…" Callen was cut off by a curse from Dalton, and he softened his voice. "I'm sorry. I know how you feel, but…"

"The fuck you do," Dalton said. "You have someone you care about taken like this? Cause if not, you don't know shit."

"My story doesn't matter, but my experience does. I'm a seasoned Federal agent, and I can help…if you want it," Callen replied.

"Back off, Dalton," Henry Tarver's words were clipped and infused with authority. "We need all the help we can get, and you're not in charge here. Sheriff Sogard is."

"Some posse…all running around like chickens with your heads chopped off," Yellowsky cackled.

"Shut up, Tyler," a few said in unison.

"We may not be running around like chickens, but all of us are running on fumes," Sogard said, as he hauled Tyler to his feet. "I'm going to take the prisoner to the ER and then have him escorted to jail. Kensi? You want to ride up to Rawlins with me? Hopefully, Alison will be awake and able to tell us more."

"Of course," she replied, whispering her love to Deeks before following the sheriff.

"Agent Callen? You're in charge. And good luck with their old man," Sheriff Sogard stared pointedly at the Kemp brothers as he said it.

"Sounds like fun," Callen replied.

"He don't like taking orders," Purty clarified.

"I'll let you know if I get any information on Jonas Beck's local holdings, Sheriff," Callen said as the man shoved Tyler Yellowsky toward the door.

The sound of approaching vehicles made Sogard pull Tyler back. Deeks and Callen moved quickly to get between him and what was coming. It made no difference. Elan slammed through the front door and easily tossed Callen aside, and rammed his shoulder into Deeks' chest, knocking him off his feet. He grabbed Tyler Yellowsky around the neck and yanked him out of Sogard's hold on him. The man was pleading for his life when Elan hurled him into the wall by the door and pressed a knife to his throat.

"You are Arapaho. I am Arapaho. But you came to my home to do the bidding of a white man. For money. You destroyed my barn, tried to kill my horses and a man I love like a brother," Elan growled in Tyler's face. "You helped a man who kidnapped an innocent girl…the man who almost killed my son. The only reason you're still breathing is because you're Soldier's cousin."

"Elan…let him go, brother," Deeks said.

"Not yet, Cuz."

"He's been helpful, Elan," Sogard said.

"Did he tell you where they took Molly?" Elan asked, not backing down at all.

"He's not sure," the sheriff replied.

"He's a liar," Elan pushed the point of his knife into the skin of Tyler's neck, and the man screamed.

A thin stream of blood trickled down his throat as Elan continued to threaten him. "You can tell the truth or I can slice your jugular vein and watch you bleed out like Soldier almost did."

"They'll kill me," Tyler whispered, his eyes wide with fear.

Elan actually laughed. It was a cold and empty sound that caused Tyler to close his eyes.

"You should be afraid of me, Tyler. Not them," Elan said. "They aren't here. I hold your life in my hand right now. Tell me where Molly is, or there's no reason to keep you alive."

"You'd go to jail," Tyler choked out.

"But you'll be dead…wandering forever in the dark underworld…all alone without family," Elan said, and then spoke softly to the man in Arapaho. "You didn't understand a word I just said, did you, Yellowsky? My uncle, Jim Littleshield, would say you have lost your way. That you no longer hear the voice of your own people. Do you serve the white man? Money? Drugs? Whatever you serve won't help you now. Only the truth will keep you alive. Tell it or die. Your choice."

…

…


	16. Chapter 16

**Choices**

_Chapter 16_

…

There was a moment of repose. Everyone stood silent as Tyler Yellowsky's life hovered between existence and the afterlife. Deeks had no doubt that Elan would be true to his word. It was strange that not one of them moved to interfere. The hope in Tyler's eyes slowly faded as he searched each person's face. When he finally realized he had no choice but to give in and tell what he knew, he smiled. It was a sad one of resignation, as if he should have known better than to hope anyone would take his side and stop Elan.

"You think you're better'n me, don't you?" Tyler said, taking one last shot. "Bullshit! I'm Arapaho just like you. But the big Indian war hero, Elan Hand, gonna kill his Arapaho brother over a rich little white girl. We ain't no different then, are we?"

"Alive or dead, you are not my brother," Elan said. "The truth…or I end this right now."

The man believed him and slumped against the wall. After all his many lies and attempts at misdirection, he had finally been called on all of them. He had failed, and was now out of choices. Tyler's outrage was gone, leaving him timid and his voice subdued.

"I was supposed to take the blue roan up to Kemp's hunting lodge."

"Wait…Dever and Molly were there the whole time?" Dalton asked, looking bewildered. "We never saw anybody."

"Did you look around?" Sogard asked.

"Shit no. We didn't have time, man. Alison was barely breathing," Purty said. "We got her in the chopper and flew to the hospital. Colly met us there. When we found out you were all up here, we took his car and came up to confront Deeks."

"And assumed he was guilty and physically attacked him," Callen said, his remaining anger surprising Deeks.

"She said his name, man," Dalton snapped. "What would you think?"

"You mean other than it made no sense?" Callen shot back. "A couple of questions would have cleared things up."

"Let it go, G," Deeks said. "It's not important. Molly is."

Callen nodded, but Deeks could see he wasn't going to forget it. He flashed a soft smile back at him, wanting him to know that he appreciated his response. Having Callen here was a comfort he hadn't anticipated, but was grateful for. As his exhaustion deepened, he had to count on Callen's strength to see this complicated mess through to the end. Hopefully that end included getting Molly back safely.

"Come on, Purty. Let's head up to the lodge and see if they're still there," Dalton walked over to Elan's gun rack and reached for a rifle.

"Leave it, Dalton," Sheriff Sogard ordered. "I am not letting you two go all 'western' on this. We'll do this within the law, or you'll join Tyler here in lockup."

Dalton ignored him and yanked a rifle out. "So what Elan Hand just did was within the law?"

Elan pivoted away from Yellowsky and grabbed the barrel of the rifle in an iron grip, his knife still a menace in his hand.

"Don't even think about it," Elan growled. "I promised my son I would help find your sister, and what I just did was the only way. Believe me...I know this man. Now we need to be smart about what comes next. There isn't a lot of cover close to that lodge. If you charge up there without a plan, Dever might kill her and strike out on his own, and I know you don't want that."

Dalton swore at the truth of it and nodded, reluctantly releasing his grip on the rifle. Elan slid his knife in the sheath behind his back and returned the rifle to the rack.

"So what the hell is the plan?" Purty asked. "Molly's got to be scared to death. What if that bastard hurts her? We can't just wait till morning."

"First, we need to find out if there's been a ransom demand," Deeks said to the brothers. "We can't assume the drop will be at your lodge. He might have moved her."

"Anybody else think it odd that Sheffield Kemp hasn't shown up?" Henry Tarver asked. "Wasn't he supposed to be coming here?"

"Already checking on that," Sheriff Sogard said, his cell phone pressed to his ear. "The call went to voice mail."

"Call him, Dalton," Purty said. "Maybe he didn't pick up cause he didn't recognized the number."

"Voice mail," Dalton said.

"Shit! Where is he?" Purty asked, getting agitated as he punched another number into his phone. "Colly will know."

When the call was answered, Purty put it on speaker. "Hey, Colly…where's Dad? He was supposed to come up to Elan Hand's place."

"I talked him out of that," the man replied. "There's no need for him to be with those people. This is a family matter, and we're handling it."

"This is Sheriff Sogard. Did you receive a ransom demand, Mr. Kemp? Because if you did I need to know."

"As I said…this is a family matter," Collingwood replied stiffly. "We were specifically told not to involve law enforcement."

"Have you talked to your brother Mase?" Deeks broke in to ask.

"And who might you be?"

"Marty Deeks."

"Ah, yes. The so-called Federal agent," Colly replied. "You Atwood people should stay out of our family's affairs. For all we know, you and your Indian friend are behind all this."

"Quit being a prick, Colly," Purty spit out. "Molly's in danger."

"That's a bit dramatic even for you, Purty. This is just a business deal," Colly replied. "Molly is just a means to an end. They want a million dollars for her. I told Dad the amount was ridiculous, but he didn't want to negotiate. He's getting it together now. When they get their money, they'll return her."

"They nearly beat Alison to death. Was that also just part of the deal? Some sort of business incentive?" Deeks asked, really angry now. "Are you okay with that? And are you okay with the fact that your brother Mase wants Molly dead so she can't get title to Echo Springs, the natural gas field your father wants to give her?"

"How the hell do you know about that?" Colly asked, sounding slightly unnerved. "No one's supposed to know the details, not even the family."

"Mase knew, man," Purty said. "And he was pissed. He's the one behind Molly's kidnapping."

"Who told you that?"

"Tyler Yellowsky," Dalton said. "He was hired to make it look like Elan Hand was behind this."

"Another Arapaho," Colly snorted. "What makes you think they aren't in this scheme together?"

"Because Elan just threatened to slit Tyler's throat to get him to talk," Purty snapped.

"Collingwood, listen to me. The man you're dealing with is named Jonas Beck," Sheriff Sogard said. "He's a major drug dealer and possibly a business associate of your brother, Masefield. Beck's the one demanding a ransom."

"This isn't happening," Collingwood said, clearly in denial. "Mase has no reason to do this. He's a successful businessman."

"This is Henry Tarver, Colly. My brother was Masefield's bookkeeper in Cheyenne. He told me there were problems in his real estate business. Your brother was deep in debt. Did he ever ask you or your father for money? If he did, and was turned down, it's possible he got the money he needed from Jonas Beck."

"My brother's business dealings are none of your concern," Colly replied.

"The hell they're not. My brother was murdered not too long after he quit working for your brother," Tarver said. "And I want to know if your brother and Beck had something to do with it."

"Masefield is not a murderer," Collingwood Kemp sounded cold and distant, as if trying to convince himself.

"Well, he's involved with one," Sheriff Sogard said. "Wayne Dever works for Jonas Beck and quite possibly for your brother. Dever's responsible for the deaths of five people, and the attempted murder of three others. And that doesn't include your stepmother's beating. You are not dealing with a regular business associate, Mr. Kemp. You are dealing with a cold-blooded killer. Now tell us where your father is and what instructions he was given about the ransom."

The pause in Collingwood's response had all of them looking at one another and feeling anxious. Deeks thought the man was probably in shock, and because he was a stubborn sonofabitch, was refusing to believe what he'd just heard. He had to know he'd lost control of the situation and was in over his head. But if he didn't…if he continued to hold out on them, and insist on handling the kidnapping privately, then finding and getting Molly back was going to be a hell of a lot harder. Deeks felt Kensi brush against his arm as she moved around him and approached the phone that Purty had tightly gripped in his hand.

"You're right, Mr. Kemp. The men who have Molly do want money," Kensi said softly. "But she's a witness and a liability. So after they get that money, the odds are, Dever will kill her. Help us find her before that happens, or you'll never forgive yourself."

It took a while, but finally Collingwood let out an audible sigh, and when he spoke he actually sounded civil. "I told Mase you had Tyler Yellowsky in custody."

"What the hell did he say?" Dalton asked.

"He just cursed…said this was all Dad's fault," he replied. "I didn't understand what he was talking about. Why would he do this to his own family?"

"If Mase knows, we have to assume Dever knows," Callen warned. "We are out of time here."

"Where's your father supposed to take the money, Colly?" The sheriff asked, all of them feeling the urgency of the situation.

"Dad had a number to call when he had the ransom together," he replied. "The guy on the phone said if he told anyone, Alison wouldn't live out the night. I'm supposed to meet him at the hospital and make the call from there. He's afraid they'll kill her."

"They left her alive on purpose," Deeks said, feeling sick to his stomach at their cruel logic.

"Leverage," Callen commented.

"I'm calling Joe," Deeks pulled his phone and walked into the living room, followed by Kensi, Callen and Elan.

"Hear that crying, dumbass?" Joe said, sounding sleepy and irritable. "You woke the baby, so this better be important."

"I need you at the hospital," Deeks said.

"What happened? Is Soldier okay?"

"We think he's still in danger. Alison Kemp, too. She was admitted to the ICU tonight," Deeks quickly told him. "The guy who stabbed Soldier almost beat her to death. They can both identify this guy. His name's Wayne Dever. The sheriff has a man on guard, but I'd feel better if you were there."

"And be sure you're armed," Callen added.

"Hey, Callen. Good to hear your voice," Joe said. "I'll be there within the hour. Now want to tell me what else is going on? I may be retired from the FBI, but I still have agent's radar. What else is going on?"

"Molly Kemp's been kidnapped," Deeks said.

"Does Soldier know?"

"Yeah…and he's scared for her," Elan said. "Don't let him out of that bed, Cuz."

"I'll call Dad and Uncle Jim," he replied. "They'll watch him and I'll watch everyone else."

"Sheffield Kemp and his son Collingwood, will be coming by," Deeks told him. "They're making contact with the kidnappers from there."

"They're probably gonna be a little on edge," Callen said.

"No shit," Joe replied. "Ought to be a real fun night."

"Stay cool," Callen said. "And congratulations on your baby girl."

"Wait till you see her. She's gonna be a heartbreaker," Joe replied. "See you all soon. And stay safe. This little girl is gonna need her smart ass uncles and kickass aunt."

"This kickass aunt will meet you in the ICU," Kensi said.

"Copy that."

Deeks felt better now that Joe was in the mix, and he could see the others had relax a little bit as well. They made a good team. Now all they had to do was rescue Molly from a stone cold killer.

"Kensi you ready to go?" Sogard asked as he ushered Tyler Yellowsky to the door.

"Get what you can from Alison, Kens," Deeks said, brushing his thumb across her cheek. "And try and get a read on the Kemps. They still might try and go this alone."

"I'll keep you posted, baby," Kensi said, kissing him quickly and smiling, making his knees weak as she walked away.

He didn't like being separated from her, but it made sense for Kensi to question Alison, especially if Sheffield Kemp and his son were there. He saw the same reluctance in her eyes as she moved to follow the sheriff.

"Agent Callen?" Sogard called out. "This is still my investigation. If you go after Dever, you keep me in the loop, you hear?"

"Whatever you say, Sheriff," Callen replied.

Sheriff Sogard didn't look convinced, but he had no choice but to trust them. Hopefully, he could track down Jonas Beck, while they tried to locate Wayne Dever.

"What do we do now?" Purty Kemp asked.

"Might be better if you two go into Rawlins with the sheriff," Henry Tarver suggested.

"And why the hell is that?" Dalton growled.

"Because you're not law enforcement," Callen answered. "You're family. Too emotional. And…I don't know you, or like you, and I sure as hell don't trust you."

"I don't give a fuck. She's our damn sister," Purty said, his anger exploding. "No way we're staying out of this."

"Well that sounded calm and collected. Not emotional at all," Deeks snarked, smiling at the man hoping it would take the edge off his anger.

"We should keep them close, Callen," Elan said. "Keep an eye on them. Otherwise they'll just go off half cocked and get themselves killed."

"We can take care of ourselves," Purty said, glaring at Elan.

"Your elbow still broken, Purty?" Deeks asked. "And your ribs are still cracked too, or maybe broken, right?"

"What? Yeah. So what?"

"You're not operational," Callen said. "You'll be a liability in the field, and a danger to whoever you're with. You too, Deeks."

Deeks was stunned by the comment. "Come on, Callen…I'm fine."

"You're exhausted, and you're hurting," he replied, his assessment firm and final. "Remember who you're talking to."

"You just got out of the hospital, Cuz," Elan said. "Your reaction time is slow. It will get you hurt, and I can't take that right now."

"Don't give me any argument, Agent Deeks, or I'll report you to Hetty and Sam," Callen warned. "You and Purty stay here, and get some rest."

Deeks felt embarrassed, and a little angry. He knew Callen and Elan were right, but that didn't make it any easier to accept the order to stay behind. He wanted to help find Molly. He wanted to confront the man who'd almost killed Soldier. If he were being honest he was still angry about almost being killed himself. It had only been two days since he'd struggled to breathe through the heavy, dark and disorienting smoke of Elan's burning barn. He still remembered that feeling of lost hope as he fought the men dragging him toward the curling heat of that fire. He'd resisted the urge to beat the shit out of Tyler Yellowsky when he had the chance, but deep down he still harbored the need for payback. Tonight he wouldn't get it.

"Where the hell are the rest of you going?" Purty asked.

"I think it's time we had a look at your famous hunting lodge," Callen replied.

"You think Dever is still up there with Molly?" Henry Tarver asked.

"It was his last known location," Callen answered. "It needs to be cleared."

"I'm coming," Dalton said.

"Then you better follow orders, or I'll have Elan tie you to a tree," Callen said.

Dalton looked over at Deeks for confirmation on the strange threat, and Deeks smiled and shrugged. "Callen is kind of power hungry. Gets all grumpy when his orders aren't obeyed. Now Elan…he just likes tying people to trees. What can I say? They're seriously weird."

Callen tried to hide a smirk, but Elan shook his head and walked over to the gun rack and pulled a rifle free. He tossed it to Dalton, and then picked up the scoped weapon Kensi had used to knock Tyler off his horse. When Callen's phone buzzed, they all turned.

"What have you got, Eric?" Callen rushed the words as he put the phone on speaker.

"Jonas Beck is a very bad man," Eric Beale replied softly. "He's not only wanted here in the States, but by the Mexican government. They made such a concentrated effort to apprehend him that he had to escape across the border, along with several of his lieutenants and members of his security guard. These are some real Mexican bad guys."

"What else?"

"He apparently believed someone betrayed him to the Federales," Eric continued. "But…he didn't know who, so he had four of his closest associates tortured and eventually killed. He had their bodies strung up on telephone poles in four different neighborhoods. Then he disappeared. He showed up in North Dakota using the name of a minor drug dealer. That's why the DEA didn't move on him right away. They didn't know who he really was."

"Any personal information that might help us?" Tarver asked.

"Of course. He's Mestizo. His mother was Latino and his father was a white drug dealer on the run in Mexico, and gave him an early start in the business. I was able to download the one old photo of him, but it's not very good. He appeared to be quite good at eluding cameras until now. I spoke with Sheriff Sogard, and he let me know he'd been seen at a local casino. I hacked their surveillance camera system. None of you will have any trouble identifying him now."

"Send those to me, and to Kensi and Joe at the hospital, Eric," Callen ordered. "Does Beck have any properties in this area?"

"Sorry. No. I can't even find a home address," Eric replied.

"Maybe he used an assumed name," Tarver said.

"Or maybe Mase Kemp purchased property for him," Deeks reasoned. "Maybe that's how they came to be in business together."

"In the week before he died, my brother mentioned Mase did a lot of his business in cash," Henry said. "He thought it was extremely odd. Especially in the amounts he was seeing."

"Good way to launder drug money," Callen said. "And hide the true owner if Mase kept the property under his company's name."

"I told my brother I could contact the local sheriff in Cheyenne, but he begged me not to," Henry said quietly. "He was dead two days later. I should have known what was going on and questioned him more, but I was just happy he was talking to me at all."

"Now you think Beck had him killed because he knew to much," Deeks said, and Henry nodded, looking wounded and angry.

"I can't believe Mase would do business with a man like that," Dalton said, but there was a hint of uncertainty in his voice when he said it.

"But we both know he did and still is," Henry said. "And it cost my brother his life. You both better face the truth. Masefield is up to his neck in this, and it's your sister's life on the line now."

"Callen? Do you want me to dig into Masefield Kemp's holdings?" Eric asked.

"Yeah, Eric. And we'll need addresses as soon as possible," Callen replied.

"On it."

Purty Kemp looked devastated, and the anguished expression on Dalton's face revealed just how catastrophic the information had been for them and for their family.

"Gear up," Callen ordered. "Deeks…get some rest. We'll need you tomorrow if we don't find her."

Purty was a brash young man, but now he looked thoughtful, almost humble, as he watched his brother follow Callen and the others outside. His voice was barely above a whisper when he mentioned they should take the sat phone in Colly's SUV. Deeks made sure Callen did that, and then walked back inside to see Purty slump down in the leather chair under the window.

"They'll find her, Purty," Deeks assured him.

"Yeah…okay," he said as Deeks settle himself on the couch.

"We always took what we had for granted, you know," Purty said solemnly. "We knew we came from a powerful family. Nobody messed with the Kemps. We grew up proud and rich as hell. Dad looks and acts tough, but with us…he just never said no when we wanted something…unless it was really over the top. He gave us whatever we asked for as long as we worked hard. At least that's what I thought until tonight."

"Are you saying Mase could have just asked your father if he'd needed money?"

"That's right," he replied. "That's why none of this makes any sense."

"Maybe it's not just about the money for him," Deeks said.

Purty eyed him and then stared off into the room behind Deeks. "Mase always hated being in the middle. I mean…Colly always followed Dad around. When we were kids, he and Dad we're always together. Me and Dalton hung out mostly in the barn or in the corral with the wranglers and the horses. Mase never seemed to find his place."

"Was that when your mother was alive?" Deeks asked.

"The divorce was hard on all of us, but Mase got really pissed," he replied. "Mom was the only one who ever really paid any attention to him. She used to tell him how handsome he was and how proud she was of him. Dad never did. Not sure he thought about him at all."

"So I'm guessing he wasn't too happy when your dad showed up with Alison."

"Yeah…that's an understatement, city boy," Purty said. "He didn't say a word to her for months. When we found out she was gonna have a baby, Mase took off. Didn't find him for three days. He was seventeen when Mom killed herself, so Dad sent him east to a school in Chicago. He lived with Mom's brother all the way through college. When he came back, he was different. Cocky. Arrogant. And distant, you know? It was like he just tolerated being around us. Then he moved to Cheyenne and got into real estate."

"Did he get along with Molly?"

"Like I said, he tolerated all of us, except for Alison. He blamed her for Mom's death," Purty acknowledged. "But I didn't think he'd take it out on Molly. After everything I've told you, you think I would have seen this coming."

"Hard to figure how much anger someone carries, especially if they're family," Deeks said. "Until it explodes."

"You speaking from experience, city boy?"

"Yeah…I am," Deeks replied. "Now we better get some rest or Callen will have Elan tie us both to a tree."

"That's all you got to say?" Purty asked.

"Long story that I'm too tired to tell."

"I'm gonna hound you till you do."

"Good luck with that," Deeks replied. "You can take Soldier's bed. It's through that door on the right."

"What about you?"

"I've spent plenty of nights on this couch, and it works just fine."

"You're real close with them, aren't you?" Purty remarked quietly.

"That bother you?"

"Does your real family mind? I mean they're Indians."

"My real father beat the crap out of me whenever he got the chance," Deeks said. "The Atwood's and Elan and Jim Littleshield welcomed me into their family with no questions asked. They cared for me and protected me when I needed it the most. Which family would you choose to be a part of?"

Purty didn't say anything, and didn't move from the chair he was in either. It made Deeks sad to see Purty unable to break free of the hatred he'd been taught. Too tired to argue or try to change his mind, he threw him one of the Pendleton blankets from the back of the couch, and then rolled over and cover up with the other one.

…

He wasn't sure what had woken him, but something had. The room was dark, but he didn't remember shutting off the lights. Maybe Purty had done that, and slowly sat up so he could see if he was still asleep in the chair. It was empty.

"Shhhh."

The sound came from the window on the other side of the potbelly stove, the fire still glowing. He could just make out the silhouette of Purty's body, even though there was barely any moonlight. Deeks picked up his gun and moved to his side.

"Horses are restless. Woke me," Purty whispered. "Someone's in the corral."

Deeks had trouble seeing any distinct shapes other than the mass of milling horses. "How do you know?"

"Those horses wouldn't be movin' like that unless someone was makin' 'em move," he replied.

"More than one," Deeks whispered, as a shape moved out away from the fence. A good-sized man led a horse and rider toward the cabin. The rider was small and hunched over and appeared to have a blanket draped over them. Deeks suddenly realized who it was.

"Sonofabitch. It's Molly," Deeks hissed, realizing that Dever was following the plan. He brought her here to Elan's place to kill her, and to get back his blue roan.

…

…


	17. Chapter 17

**Choices**

_Chapter 17_

…

Deeks felt Purty stiffen when he realized it was Molly on that horse. He swore under his breath and immediately bolted for the door. Deeks shoved his forearm across the man's chest to stop him from impulsively rushing out to save his sister. They struggled briefly until Deeks hissed in his face that he was being an idiot. After they both calmed down, Deeks pulled Purty away from the window and led him silently back through the room to get his gun. He had no idea how many men were outside or which one of the two men they had seen might be Wayne Dever. His situation was tricky. Whatever he did would put Molly in the middle of a firefight, but he had no other choice. He had no idea if Purty would lose his head once they got outside, or what the man's skills were with a rifle. Hitting someone in almost complete darkness was extremely difficult, even for a trained marksman. He felt the sudden rush of adrenaline, knowing he would be going up against a killer without Kensi's expertise for backup. He turned to face Purty as he pulled a rifle from the rack and pressed it into his hands.

"Follow my lead, and don't fire unless you have to," Deeks breathed out, waiting until the man nodded his assent.

Deeks cracked opened the front door as quietly as he could. Their one advantage was surprise, but that would only go so far. He had to strike quickly and hope for the best if more men came at them.

"I'll take out the guy leading the horse," Deeks whispered. "Grab Molly and get her inside as fast as you can."

Deeks slid silently through the crack in the door, praying the man approaching wouldn't notice him in the dark shadows of the porch. Purty wasn't as cautious or as graceful. His clumsy footfall on the deck alerted the man, who pulled his weapon without hesitation, peppering the porch with haphazard shots. Deeks crouched low and leaped down the steps firing, knocking the man off his feet as the horse yanked the reins from his hand. A hot searing pain took his breath as a bullet clipped his hip, throwing him off balance, but he kept firing until he saw the man collapse. Purty was almost to Molly when a man on horseback came charging at them from the corral, riding full out through a herd of panicky yearlings and mares. Purty yelled a curse as a bullet struck him, sending him sprawling under the hooves of Molly's horse. Deeks managed to get on his feet, his left hand pressed against the bleeding wound in his hip, trying to reach Purty as Molly's horse shied away from him. He fired at the oncoming rider lying low on the neck of the blue roan, but a bullet tore through his left forearm and he stumbled back. Deeks screamed as the blue roan slammed into him, tumbling him over and under its hooves. He ended up face down on the muddy ground, barely able to catch his breath or move, but he managed to raise his head to see the man yank the horse around and head for Molly. His weapon lay just out of reach, and he waited for the man to put an end to his life. He whispered Kensi's name as he fought to stay conscious. The man he now knew was Wayne Dever, grabbed up the reins to Molly's horse and swung the blue roan around to face him.

"You lose, asshole," Dever shouted, bringing his gun up to finish him off.

The sharp crack of a rifle shocked Deeks, and he turned his head to see Purty fire again as he lay prone on the ground. The second shot hit Dever, and he shouted out in pain. Deeks began dragging himself toward his weapon as the man recovered and fired a couple of shots in Purty's direction. When he saw him collapse, Deeks was afraid he'd taken a fatal round. By the time he managed to reach his gun, Dever was charging off toward the line of dark pine trees with Molly in tow. He didn't fire, afraid he might hit the girl.

He should be dead. That he wasn't was breathtaking. He lay quietly on the hard ground, assessing each area of pain, and sucking in gulps of cold air. He heard Purty groan, and that got him moving.

"Purty?" he called out. "How bad, man?"

"Did I hit the bastard?" He gasped.

"Yeah you did," Deeks said, feeling elated and incredibly lucky. "You saved my life, you ugly sonofabitch."

He crawled over to Purty Kemp, the second Kemp to save his life in the last couple of days. He might not like them much, but they showed up for him when it counted. From what Deeks could see when he rolled him over, he'd been hit at least three times. Blood streaked his left sleeve and pulsed from his thigh, but the blood seeping from the wound in his abdomen was definitely not good.

"I tried to get to her, Deeks…damn it, I tried."

"I know you did, man," he replied. "Can you stand?"

"Can you?"

"Not sure, but we gotta try," Deeks said.

"Tell Molly I'm sorry."

"Tell her yourself when we get her back," Deeks said the words, but he wasn't sure he believed they were true.

Purty was bleeding badly, but they both managed to get on their feet. They staggered up the steps and pushed through the door and into the dark cabin. Stumbling forward, Purty collapsed on the couch mumbling Molly's name as he passed out. Deeks turned on a light and limped into the kitchen. Grabbing as many dish towels as he could find, he dragged himself back to Purty, pressing several into the wound in his abdomen. He managed to tie one over the bullet hole in the man's thigh, and around the ragged wound in his arm, but he wasn't sure any of it would keep Purty from bleeding out.

It was four-thirty in the morning, which meant it would soon be light enough to track Dever. Deeks knew he had to try and follow him or they might never find the girl, but first, he had to get help for Purty. He grabbed his phone and slumped wearily into the leather chair, eyeing his own blood as he punched in Callen's number.

"You're up early," Callen said. "We're headed back now."

Deeks couldn't find his voice, and didn't until Callen shouted his name a couple of times.

"Dever came," he croaked. "Purty's shot up pretty bad."

"Were you hit?" Callen's voice so demanding it sharpened his mind.

"Couple of times…but not bad," he replied, deciding not to share he'd been run down by a horse.

"We're on our way. Sit tight," Callen ordered. "We'll get a medevac chopper there as soon as we can."

"Dever took off with Molly on that blue roan of his," Deeks said. "I'm going after him, G."

"No you're not."

"He just left and he's wounded."

"So are you, brother."

"I have to do this. You know that. If I don't, we may never get her back."

"Deeks…"

"Gotta go. Tell Kensi I love her."

"Deeks? Know we're coming, brother," Callen replied, choking on the words.

"I will find you, Cuz," Elan yelled in the background.

"We're less than an hour away," Callen said, the knowledge comforting.

"He's headed up into the Sierra Madre," Deeks said as he rose unsteadily to his feet and limped into the kitchen. "Hurry that medevac. Purty's in bad shape. He saved my life, so promise me you won't let him die."

"Henry just called it in," Callen assured him. "Are you sure about this Deeks? Promise me I won't find you bleeding out on the trail."

"Can't do that, brother," Deeks replied, and ended the call. "He's gonna be pissed about that."

It was Elan who called back. "Listen to me, Cuz. Take Lady, the chestnut mare. She's a good strong trail horse. Cut a spiked branch from that dead pine by the cabin and tie it to her tail. It will help me track you faster, especially in the snow. She might be skittish at first, but just push her through it. And if you get close to Dever, don't try and take him on your own. You hear me? Kensi will shoot us all if you die out there."

"Copy that, brother. I still want that honeymoon."

After the call, he spent the next few minutes tending his own wounds. He wrapped a bandage around his bloody forearm, flexing his hand to see how usable it was going to be. It was stiff, but functional, at least for now. The wound in his hip was harder to deal with. He ended up stuffing a couple of towels down his pants, hoping his belt would keep them in place. The grinding pain he felt whenever he moved convinced him the bullet probably chipped the bone, so riding that big mare wasn't going to feel real good.

He downed his last two pain meds and checked on Purty. He felt clammy, so he covered him with both blankets before grabbing a wool scarf and struggling into a warm coat as he headed out to find the mare. He wanted to hurry, but the hip wound slowed him down, and he grunted in pain with every other step. The cloudless sky had lightened to a dull, early morning grey, and he was grateful for that, even though it remained numbingly cold.

At least the tack shed at the back of the small corral by the cabin hadn't been destroyed in the fire. Elan had strung some barbed wire to close off the end of the old corral by the burnt barn, so the mares hadn't scattered with the herd. Both horses were backed up against the shed, and eyed him suspiciously as he entered the corral. He realized they had both been spooked by the firefight. The big mare snorted and moved in front of Peaches as if protecting her. It made Deeks smile.

"Hey, beautiful Lady," he called softly. "Want to go for a ride?"

He used a couple of Arapaho words he'd learned, repeating them over and over, hoping she would be calmed by the familiar sounding words, even though they made no sense together. She nickered softly and swung around to watch him as he went inside the tack shed to grab a saddle and bridle, and some rope to tie the branch to her tail. The mare seemed eager as he slipped the bridle on. Getting the saddle on her proved a little more difficult. His forearm had stiffened and he was actually sweating from the pain and effort it took to heave the saddle up on her back and cinch it tight. He leaned against her solid shoulder to catch his breath, and she swung her head around and snorted a puff of warm breath in his hair.

"Thanks, Lady. I needed that," Deeks mumbled, and then led her from the corral.

He picked up the rifle Purty had used, and once he had that secured in the scabbard, he checked his Glock and tucked it behind his back. Knowing he would only be able to manage mounting the mare once, he led her over to the dead pine tree to cut the branch Elan asked him to.

"Easy now, Ladybug," Deeks said as he moved around behind her. "Don't kick Uncle Marty. I'd have to tell Soldier, and he won't like you anymore if you do."

The big chestnut looked back to see what he was doing, but luckily decided to allow the branch to be tied to her tail. What she did once he was mounted was what had him worried. If she bucked him off he wasn't sure he would be able to get back on. The pain in his hip made him bite his lip as he hauled himself up onto her back.

"Awesome," he hissed, groaning as he kicked her gently in the ribs.

Her ears pricked back as the pine branch skittered along behind her. She sidestepped a couple of times, snorting her objection, but he finally got her under control. He continued talking to her as he urged her toward the break in the forest Dever and Molly had disappeared into. He pulled up just inside the tree line, listening to the whomp of helicopter blades echo up the small valley.

"You'll be okay now, Purty," he whispered as he urged the chestnut mare deeper into the forest.

…

Callen's mind was on fire as Henry Tarver skidded up the final rise to Elan's place. His driving was almost as wild as Sam's and thankfully just as fast. Elan had called the ranch to have the two men watching the place saddle four horses and bring them over, knowing they would need the sturdy trail horses if they were to catch up to Deeks as soon as possible. As Henry roared toward the waiting medevac chopper, Callen saw Kensi standing next to the four horses tied to the small corral fence. She waved as Henry skidded to a stop at the edge of the cabin. Dalton was the first one out, rushing up the steps to get to his brother.

"Kens?" Callen said as she hurried to embrace him.

"I'm coming, so don't try and talk me out of it," she said.

"I wasn't going to," he replied. "How's Purty?"

"Bad. Real bad."

"Did you talk to Alison?" He asked.

"She's still unconscious," Kensi replied. "Now tell me how Deeks sounded."

"Shaky. I think he's hurt worse than he let on," Callen told her, feeling her tremble at the assessment.

"Can he do this?" Tarver asked.

"Yes," Elan said. "He's a survivor. Stronger than he looks."

"And you know that for sure?" Henry asked, looking doubtful.

"We all know that for sure," Callen said. "Now let's get moving."

"Before we do, you need to know that Sheriff Sogard lost track of Sheffield Kemp," Kensi said. "He thinks he's gone off to pay the ransom alone."

"That stupid bastard," Henry said. "He'll get his own daughter killed."

"I thought we convinced Collingwood that would be a mistake," Callen said. "Guess we were wrong."

"No you weren't," Kensi said. "He's still at the hospital. He has no idea where his father is. His phone's turned off, so we can't track him."

"One more reason we should get moving," Elan said, quickly mounting his black horse, Crow. "Deeks may be up against more men than just Dever."

The thought scared Callen, and he grabbed the reins of the nearest horse and hurriedly mounted. It was George Atwood's buckskin, Honcho, and that was reassuring, as if the man himself was a part of this. He had talked to him after he'd called Kensi at the hospital. George had no illusions about Deeks' chances of surviving this, but he told Callen he had confidence in him to do his best to find him, and that had made him even more determined.

As the four of them got mounted, they saw the EMT's bringing Purty out on a stretcher. Dalton followed them out. He waved and then trotted over to talk.

"I'm going with Purty," he said. "I hope you catch up with Deeks. Purty told me Dever ran him down on that blue roan of his. He didn't have to go after Molly, especially hurting like he is, but I'm sure as hell grateful he did. Please bring her home."

"We intend to bring them both home," Kensi said.

Elan kicked Crow, and the black horse snorted and leaped forward. They raced for the trees, and the rest of them followed. Callen knew Elan was angry. He had been silent after giving his instructions to Deeks, and after listening to Dalton, he had seen his anger spark. Elan held no love for the Kemps. The only reason he was doing this was because he had promised Soldier he would save Molly. Now Deeks was in as much danger as the girl, and Callen urged the buckskin into a loping stride as Elan disappeared into the stand of pines.

The sound of the helicopter slowly faded as it headed for Rawlins, and Elan had slowed his horse as he searched the ground for a trace of where Deeks had gone.

"Here!"

The four of them wound their way through the trees, the light dimming as Elan followed the scored trail deeper into the forest. It led them higher, and the horses strained to climb the ridge. When they finally reached level ground, Elan held up a fist and they pulled up.

"I've got blood," he said quietly, as he lifted a broken pine bough wet with it.

"Deeks?" Henry Tarver asked.

"Probably," Elan said as he jumped down off his horse.

He walked slowly around the area, searching the ground. "He cut Dever's trail here. Two horses, and more blood. This time it's Dever's."

"I don't think Dever knows he's being trailed," Henry said. "He's careless."

"Must have thought he took Deeks out," Callen said.

"How far ahead are they?" Kensi asked.

"Too far to make me feel good," Elan said, remounting and looking up the ridge.

"You know where he's going, don't you?" Tarver said. "Tyler Yellowsky told us Dever has a cabin up above Spring Creek Lake. It has to be where he's headed."

"Not much cover around that lake," Elan said. "It's in a big open meadow. If Dever doesn't know he's being tracked, he'll cut right across it. If Deeks tries to follow he'll be spotted."

"Then we better get to Deeks before Dever reaches that meadow," Callen said.

…

Deeks pulled Lady up on the edge of the snowy meadow. The early morning light reflected dully off the frozen surface of the teardrop shaped lake in the middle. Two horses stood quietly by its edge with their heads down. Molly was hunched over on the smaller horse, but it was the dark shape of a man lying motionless on the ground beneath the blue roan that Deeks stared at for the longest time. Should he believe his own eyes, or anticipate a trap? The man's rifle was in the scabbard of his saddle, but he could see no handgun. Still he waited. He had no way of knowing how long Dever had been lying there. Deeks groaned as he adjusted his seat in the saddle, panting through the pain that flared in his hip. Blood soaked the leg of his jeans, and he had trouble holding the reins with his stiff left hand. The blood loss had weakened him, and maybe the same had happened to Dever. He hadn't seen where Purty's bullet had hit him. Maybe he'd killed the bastard, and he was lying dead out there in the snow.

"Make a decision, dumbass," he hissed, making Lady flick her ears back and take a few steps forward.

"Guess we're gonna go take a look."

He guided the mare through the trees and hesitated briefly before urging her out onto the snow covered meadow. Lady nickered at the small horse, and the blue roan turned its head to watch their approach. Dever didn't move, but Deeks pulled his weapon anyway. When he got closer, he could see blood on the snow, and he began to relax.

"Molly?" He called out softly. "It's Deeks."

She had a bag over her head and jerked when she heard his voice, moaning loudly, her words muffled by what Deeks assumed was a gag of some sort. He slowly climbed down off the mare, almost falling when his left foot landed on the ground. Gasping at the sudden pain, he had to hook his right arm over the saddle horn to stay on his feet. When the pain subsided, he took a tentative step toward the body facedown in the snow. There was still no movement, but the man's face was turned away from him, so he couldn't be sure if he was breathing or not.

"You're under arrest, Dever," he said loudly, but there was no movement of any kind. Not even a twitch.

He limped slowly over to the man, and steadied himself as he prepared to give him a good kick. The flash of movement stunned him and before he could react, Dever flipped over and slammed his weapon into Deeks' wounded hip. He screamed and went down hard. His weapon flew from his hand as Dever landed on top of him. He saw the bearded man grimace just before he pistol-whipped him into darkness.

…

Henry Tarver knew these mountains better than anyone. He had patrolled them for almost nine years. He'd never been lost in them. He had tracked people down trying to hide in them, and now he was rushing toward a lake he knew intimately and had fished in whenever he found the time. There was no need to track the man they were following, or the two people ahead of him. Now they needed to make up time, and they all pushed their horses relentlessly in hopes of reaching a wounded man who was loved by the three riders behind him. They were trusting him, and he was determined not to let them down. Deeks was doing what he'd wanted to do for a long time…track down the man who had murdered his brother. He had no doubts that Dever was that man.

Knowing he was close to the meadow, he raised his fist and slowed his sturdy bay gelding to a walk. The other's horses crowded close, breathing hard from the climb up the final ridge, their breath hanging in clouds around their nodding heads. Elan Hand wove around them, his black horse snorting as Elan pushed him forward to the edge of the trees.

"It's Lady, the mare Deeks was riding," Elan said, pointing at the red horse standing all alone in a snowy field, it's reins dragging on the ground.

He looked back and said something in Arapaho, and then kicked his horse hard, and charged out onto the meadow, kicking up snow as he went. Henry steered his horse out of the trees, but Callen and Kensi rushed ahead of him. When he reached them, Elan was standing by the big mare speaking Arapaho and stroking her neck, the broken branch that had been tied to her tail gripped tightly in his hand.

"There's blood on her saddle, and in the snow," he said. "There was a fight."

"He's not dead, Kens," Callen said as Kensi knelt down next to the blood smeared across the snow.

Henry walked around the area and read what the ground was telling him. "Dever set a trap. I'm guessing he played dead right here, and when Deeks approached, he took him down…there, where the blood is. You can see the indentation his hip made when he fell."

"He didn't shoot him," Callen remarked. "Why? Why not kill him?"

"Thank God he didn't," Kensi said. "It doesn't matter why. We just have to find him before he does."

Elan had wandered toward the lake, studying the ground for signs. "Two horses, moving slow. There are drag marks beside the smaller horse. Deeks..."

Henry could feel the anger building in all three of them, but somehow they controlled it. Even his wife, Kensi. It was impressive, but he felt it was also deceptive. It certainly wasn't passive. He'd seen it before when watching a pack of wolves waiting for the perfect time to strike a wounded prey. If he didn't hate Dever so much, he'd feel sorry for him, because these three would track him down, and have no qualms about killing him when they found him. They were professionals, and they were scary.

Callen had the satellite phone to his ear and was speaking intently, his eyes never leaving the blood in the snow. "Eric? Did you find the location of that cabin below Bridger Peak? Give me the coordinates. Okay, thanks. No…not yet. We'll let you know when we find him."

"Which way?" Elan asked as he mounted his horse and gathered up the mare's reins.

Callen punched something into his phone and then pointed southwest.

"Damn. I know that cabin," Henry said. "Tracked a poacher who crashed there last summer. Not many cabins up here. It's isolated and pretty big…a main room, two bedrooms, and a shed outside for snowmobiles. It's snugged below a granite outcropping and surrounded by trees. Hard to see if you're not looking for it."

"You get us there without them seeing us, and we'll take it from there," Callen ordered, his jaw flexing and his eyes intense, the cold blue color of glacier water.

"The hell you will," Henry barked back, and leaped into the saddle. "That bastard killed my brother. I have as much at stake in this as you do. So stop giving me orders and follow me."

Elan slapped him hard on the back and said something in Arapaho. He had no idea what he'd said, but it must have been some sort of seal of approval, as Callen nodded for him to take the lead. He was now part of a grim and determined bunch, and he kicked his gelding hard, loping toward the base of the lake and the hardscrabble climb that lay ahead of them.

…

…


	18. Chapter 18

**Choices**

_Chapter 18_

…

Deeks woke to the gentle touch of fingers squeezing his hand. A rush of memories followed. Molly. Opening his eyes, he looked up to see her pale hands covering the ropes that tied him to the pommel of her saddle. He fought to regain his feet as the small horse clambered over the rough slope, groaning under the weight of two people. He slipped and stumbled along beside the animal, gritting his teeth so he wouldn't scream at the pain radiating from the bullet wound in his hip. His left arm was numb and bloody, and his wrists stung from the tight ropes that secured him. A flash of anger and regret tore through him, and he cursed himself for his stupidity. He had made a mistake. A big one. Now he was as vulnerable as Molly, and he cursed out loud this time. Molly's fingers tightened urgently around his hand, her muffled moaning tearing at his heart. He was saddened by how badly he had miscalculated. The horse was jerked to a halt and he heard Dever laugh.

"You just realize you're fucked?" The man asked, his laugh guttural, but brief as if he couldn't sustain it.

"You sound a little fucked up yourself," Deeks replied, breathless as he leaned against the shoulder of the horse. "Purty's bullet nick a lung?"

Deeks stared at the man as he sat hunched over the neck of the blue roan. Dever spit a gob of blood into the snow between the two horses, his eyes dark with rage.

"I paid him back," he replied. "As for you...I should have cut you to ribbons back there."

"Why didn't you?"

"I got questions," Dever replied. "And I'll enjoy getting the answers."

The man kicked his horse viciously, and the animal leaped forward. Molly's horse jumped as Dever jerked the reins and Deeks was dragged off his feet. The pain in his hip flared as the horses loped across the ridge and into a grove of ponderosa pines. The winding trail was narrow, and he was buffeted against the rough trunks of the pines, leaving him barely conscious, his knees scraping over rocks and fallen limbs. When they finally stopped, Molly nudged him and he jolted awake. As he tried to pull himself to his feet, rough hands cut him free and shoved him to the ground.

"Who the hell is this guy?" An unknown voice growled.

"Him and another guy were at the Indian's place," Dever answered.

"I told you to forget about that horse," a smooth, but irritated voice said.

"I don't leave behind what's mine," Dever hissed. "Lofton's dead. This asshole shot him."

"And who shot you, Dever?" A familiar voice asked, and Deeks looked up to see Masefield Kemp standing in front of Molly's horse.

"Your brother…Purty," Deeks croaked out.

Kemp took a step back and glared down at him with an uncertain look on his face. "Why the fuck did you bring him here? He's a Federal agent."

"To find out who knows what," the man with the smooth voice said as he kneeled down in front of Deeks. "Ever watch a man tortured, Masefield? It's quite invigorating. Gives me a hard-on every time."

"You're a sick sonofabitch, Jonas," Kemp said.

"I suggest you don't forget that," Jonas Beck replied as he stood up. "Now…you want to bring your little sister inside, or should one of my men do that for you?"

"She's not my sister. She's a bastard," Kemp snapped, and walked by Deeks to where Molly sat very still on her horse. "Dever should have killed her and left her at Elan Hand's place like I told him to."

"Fuck you, Mase," Dever hissed.

"Watch your mouth," Kemp snapped. "If you'd done what you were supposed to we wouldn't be in this godforsaken place."

"He was following my orders," Beck said. "Your father is bringing the ransom here. Once I have the money you can do whatever you want with them. Kill them both, for all I care. That would make things much easier on you…wouldn't it?"

Masefield looked away, and Molly let out a muffled scream, fighting to free herself.

"You'd choose money over your family?" Deeks realizing that's exactly what he'd already done. "Don't do this, man. She's just a kid."

Masefield Kemp ignored him as he pulled the large overcoat from Molly's shoulders and yanked the hood off her head. She had fought hard when they took her. Her face was dirty, bruised, and streaked with tears, and her mouth was tightly gagged with a rough cloth stained with her blood. Her hands were tied together, and her feet were tied to the stirrups. As soon as Mase untied her foot, she kicked him. He spewed curses and slapped her hard across the face. Deeks pushed off his good leg and drove a shoulder into Masefield's groin, taking him to the ground. He managed to bloody the man's nose before he was dragged off and knocked to the ground. His hands were pulled behind his back and tied. Even after suffering a couple of vicious kicks from Mase Kemp, he wasn't sorry for tackling the sonofabitch, sorely wishing he could have done more damage.

"You won't get what you want, Mase," Deeks gasped out. "They know you're behind this."

"Who the hell knows that?" Jonas Beck demanded, nodding to two men who yanked him to his feet.

"Everybody, asshole," Deeks said, grinning cockily. "The local sheriff. The cops in Saratoga. Let me see…oh yeah. The Feds. Everyone in the Kemp family. Hell, even the game warden knows."

"Even if that was true, it won't matter," Dever said. "Because they don't know where we are…"

"Or do they?" Jonas Beck asked as he stepped toward Deeks. "Do they know about this place? About me?"

"And why would I give that information to a douchebag like you?" Deeks replied.

"Because it would be in your best interest," he replied.

Beck suddenly gripped the wound in his forearm. Grinning at him when he cried out. The man yanked him close, continuing the pressure on his wound until his mind grew foggy, and the stunning pain sent him to his knees. Beck knelt beside him, tightening his grip. Deeks groaned and closed his eyes, chills racking his body.

"Once again. Does the law know where we are?" Jonas Beck hissed out slowly.

"Fuck you," Deeks whispered and collapsed face down in the snow.

"Who the hell is this wiseass piece of shit, Mase?" Beck asked.

"His name's Deeks. He's mixed up with those Atwood people and the Indian."

"And you're sure he's a Fed?"

"That dirty little Indian friend of Molly's bragged about it to her," Kemp replied.

"You deal with your sister," Beck said. "Let me and Dever get what we need from this fuck."

Deeks kept his eyes closed as they dragged him into the cabin. He was hurting, but the longer he stalled the more time it would give Elan and Callen to find him. He wasn't sure how long he could hold out against whatever they planned to do to him, but he sure as hell wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of breaking him easily. He was mad. Mad at the mistake he'd made; mad at the cruelty of Molly's brother; and especially mad that he might not see Kensi ever again. He knew she would be coming with the others, and he hated that she might get here only to find him dead. She didn't deserve that, so he had to try and survive…for her…for them…and for their future together. And, dammit, he deserved a real honeymoon after this.

The warmth inside the cabin was a pleasant surprise. He hadn't realized just how cold he'd been. They dropped him in the middle of the room and cut his hands free once again. He was stripped of his coat and scarf and his shirt was yanked off, leaving him in a blood soaked tee shirt and jeans. He kept his eyes closed, pretending to be unconscious, until he heard Molly screaming at her brother.

"I hate you," she shouted. "I've always hated you, and so does everybody else. You're a big, fat, lying piece of garbage."

The slap was loud, and Deeks jerked his head up. "Leave her alone!"

"Shut up, Deeks," Mase said, kicking him for emphasis. "You and your Indian friends fucked up everything. I would be free and clear if you'd just stayed out of it. I'm looking forward to seeing what Dever does to you."

"You won't get out of this, you know that, right? You gonna kill your whole family, Mase? Cause you're gonna have to. They know what you did," Deeks taunted. "Then what? Go on the run with the charming Jonas Beck? A Federal fugitive? How cozy will that be with a killer like Dever as your only friend."

Mase's next kick caught him in the head and he passed out. When he woke he was hanging from a crossbeam in the back of the main room, his arms painfully stretched out above him, and his wrists stinging from the rough ropes that held him. Molly was curled up in a chair by the fireplace, her eyes full of tears as she stared at him. She mouthed, "I'm sorry", and he smiled at her and shrugged as best he could.

"Dever told me Soldier died," she whispered, wiping at the new tears the words brought. "I'll miss him. He was so sweet and kind, and I got him killed."

"No you didn't," Deeks replied softly. "Soldier's alive, Molly. He's gonna be okay. He's tough."

She dropped her head into her hands and sobbed. Deeks felt his anger return at what had been done to this brave young girl by her own brother. He understood the devastation she must have felt when she discovered a member of her own family had put her through this. When she looked up, he could see fear in her eyes.

"Is Purty okay?" She whispered.

"Not sure," Deeks said, sad that he couldn't reassure her. "He was pretty badly wounded."

"By Dever?"

"Yeah. But Purty seems like a tough guy," Deeks hurried to say.

"Sometimes…" she replied, crying softly. "Are they really gonna kill my dad?"

"I don't know, Molly," he replied.

"I know he's not really my dad, but he's always been there for me, you know?" She said. "I was mad at him after Mase told me he wasn't my real father. But, the truth is, he always spoiled me like I meant something to him, and Mom loves him…I think."

"Your mother's a whore," Masefield said, his eyes bright with arrogance as he approached. "And probably dead by now."

"What?" Molly was stunned and Deeks realized she didn't know what they'd done to her mother.

"She's alive, Molly. She's alive," Deeks shouted as Molly bolted out of the chair and charged her brother.

The man was surprised by the onslaught of fists as she flailed at him. He finally managed to grab her by the arms, and shove her violently to the floor. Before he could kick her, Deeks pulled himself up by the ropes that held him and slammed the heel of his boot into Masefield's ribs. He went down hard, cursing loudly. Deeks was lightheaded with pain from the effort it took, but it was worth it to see the look on the bastard's face as he lay grimacing on the floor. Beck arrived laughing, and reached down to help Mase to his feet.

"You are a worthless piece of shit, Masefield," Beck said. "She's what? Thirteen?"

"Deeks kicked me," Mase whined.

"Don't worry. Dever will deal with Deeks, and we'll even let you watch." Beck said, his words dripping with condescension. "But now it's decision time, Masefield. Your father is a few minutes away. Do you want to face him all by yourself? Or will you want us to handle it?"

"Don't you dare laugh at me," Mase growled.

"Or what, Masefield? Now answer me. It's a simple question. You want your sister dead don't you? And I'm guessing you want your father dead as well," Beck replied. "So now the time has come. Decide. Or, are you too much of a coward to pull the trigger?"

"Have Dever do it," Mase said, glancing at Molly for a split second. "He's the professional killer."

One of Beck's men pulled Molly up and shoved her back in the leather chair in the corner. She looked furiously at Mase, calling him every bad word she could think of, and Deeks felt badly for her, and frightened that Kensi and the others wouldn't get here in time to save her. The far off sound of a snowmobile gave everyone pause, except for Dever, who rushed out of a back room with a pistol in his hand, his wound bleeding through the fresh bandage that wrapped his torso.

"You got lookouts posted?" He asked Beck. "They coulda put a tail on him."

Dever turned to Deeks when Beck led a couple of his men outside. "They following the old man?"

"Why? You scared?" Deeks asked with a cocky grin.

The backhand stung, but was weaker than Deeks expected. "Blood loss is a bitch, ain't it?"

The next few punches left him groggy, but he could hear Molly pleading for Dever to stop. The sound of the snowmobile had stopped as well, and Beck shouted for Dever.

"Just so you know, asshole. Whoever you think is coming to save you…will be dead before they reach this cabin. That's a promise," Dever said, and slammed the butt of his pistol into the seeping wound in Deeks' hip.

He screamed.

…

"Deeks…" Kensi locked eyes with Callen, terror racing through her, freezing her in place for the instant the scream lasted.

Galvanized by that tortured sound, she raged with the need to get to him, but Callen grabbed her arm before she could act, and she turned her anger on him. It was the look on his face that stopped her from hitting him. He was as hurt by the sound of Deeks suffering as she was, and the intensity in his eyes revealed the anger underneath. He had stopped her from acting on impulse, but he had no such luck with Elan, who disappeared into the trees without a word.

"Who was that?" Sheffield Kemp asked, still stunned by the scream.

"My husband. Marty Deeks," Kensi replied angrily and pulled out of Callen's hold. "He went after your daughter…to save her from the man you want to pay off."

"And from Wayne Dever. He's the man who shot your son and almost beat your wife to death," Callen added, growing angrier as he tried to control his emotions.

Deeks' scream had spooked them all, but especially Sheffield Kemp. They had stopped his earlier progress a mile from the cabin, taking out the man Jason Beck had sent down the trail to escort him up to the cabin. But now they were close, and Callen had been forced to stop once again when Sheffield Kemp wouldn't listen to reason. The man was determined to deliver the ransom, and they'd been arguing when they heard Deeks scream. Now he was obviously shaken.

"Callen, we have to go in now," Henry Tarver insisted. "They had to have heard the snowmobiles. They'll be suspicious if Kemp doesn't show up."

"I demand you let me go. He promised to give Molly back to me if I brought him the money," Sheffield insisted.

"It could get you killed," Callen replied. "There's no guarantee he'll keep his word. They could kill you both…and Deeks too."

"My only concern is for my daughter," the man replied haughtily. "Your man knew the risks. He's a Federal agent. It's his job."

Kensi grab the man's coat and yanked him close. "We're on our honeymoon, you insensitive jackass. He went after your daughter because he's a good man, and because Molly is Soldier's friend."

"Kens…stop," Callen said, pulling her away. "Now listen up. We're all going."

"You mean like a cavalry charge?" Henry asked, looking shocked by the idea.

"No. Well, sort of," Callen replied. "More of a Trojan Horse scenario. We'll ride both snowmobiles until we're as close to the cabin as we can get without being seen. Kensi and Henry…you two veer off and head into the trees. Get as close as you can and find firing positions. I'll ride behind Kemp, and pretend to be the escort we took out. We'll stop just short of the cabin, as if the snowmobile died. Hopefully it will draw them out in the open."

"And then what?" Sheffield demanded.

"We take out as many as we can," Callen replied.

"What you're suggesting is ridiculous and dangerous," he replied. "I need to go get Molly. Then you can do all the shooting you want."

"This isn't a suggestion," Callen said gruffly before softening his tone. "Mr. Kemp…they are not going to let you walk out of there alive. Molly either. Deep down, you have know that."

"Your son Mase wants Molly dead, remember?" Henry said. "He set this all up, so its not hard to figure that he might want you dead too."

"I can't believe that," Kemp replied staunchly. "You've been lied to."

"It's not a lie, now start the damn snowmobile or I'll knock you out and leave you here." Callen said, his patience gone.

"You wouldn't dare," Sheffield argued.

"Yeah…maybe not, but I would," Kensi said, taking a step toward him.

"And what's to stop them from killing Molly and your husband as soon as you start shooting?" Kemp demanded.

"Not what. Who," Callen said. "Elan Hand, your favorite Arapaho."

The man glared at him, looking unconvinced, and Kensi suddenly hated the guy. She definitely didn't trust him, and she knew Callen didn't either. Right now she didn't care what happened to the man, she just wanted to move before another scream tore her heart to pieces. As Callen turned to say something to the game warden, Sheffield Kemp revved the engine of his snowmobile and took off, roaring away on the narrow winding path in the forest. Henry Tarver, who was seated on the second machine didn't even hesitate. He slammed the snowmobile into gear and shot off after him, leaving Callen cursing and Kensi enraged.

Her heart was pounding as they ran through the trees, ignoring the snowmobile track and taking the shortest route to the cabin. She had no idea what Tarver was thinking, but she hoped his actions wouldn't cost him his life. Joe had told her at the hospital that he was a tough lawman and smart, but tearing after Kemp like that had seemed foolhardy. She hoped he knew what he was doing.

"Kens," Callen whispered, holding up a fist as they approached the back corner of the cabin.

They had good cover as they moved into a position to see what was happening. The snowmobiles were idling and they could hear shouting, but the words were indistinct until the snowmobiles were shut down. Henry had his hands clasped behind his head and was being shoved toward the porch stairs by two men with rifles. Sheffield Kemp was demanding to see his daughter and a large man with a condescending smirk on his face swept his arm out toward the cabin as if inviting him inside for a friendly family dinner. No one even looked their way.

…

Deeks blew out several breaths as he fought through the lingering pain. The sound of voices sharpened his thoughts, and he raised his head as Henry Tarver was shoved through the door. Deeks was shocked to see him, and wondered where the others were, hoping they were close by. The game warden stared intently at him, and then glanced over at Molly, who looked ready to bolt for the door at any second. When Henry looked back at him and nodded, his eyes tried to convey something Deeks couldn't grasp. Was this part of some rescue plan, or a plan gone wrong? He wished he knew.

Dever looked pissed as he shoved Henry toward him. "You did put a tail on Kemp."

"I have a feeling he did that all on his own," Deeks said, risking a soft smile as he stared at the game warden.

"Dumb move…for both of you," Dever replied. "Anybody else gonna show up uninvited?"

Before either of them could reply, Molly saw her father and jumped from the chair, running to embrace him.

"What have they done to you?" Sheffield Kemp asked, brushing her tangled hair away from her bruised face. "There was no need to rough up my daughter like this."

"Shut up, Dad," Mase said as he walked out of the back bedroom. "She's not even yours. Your whore of a wife tricked you. Molly is just someone else's bastard."

"So you are behind this," Sheffield said, his voice tight and full of bitterness. "You always were a prick, Masefield. But I didn't think you would take up with murderers."

"You don't know anything about me. Never wanted to either, did you?" Mase said. "Just brought that whore home and tossed Mom aside to wither away and die."

"Your mother made her choice long before I married Alison," he replied. "She left you behind to run off and have fun with whoever would have her."

"That's a lie!" Mase shouted, raising his fist to hit him, but Jonas Beck stopped him, smiling with obvious enjoyment at the family feud playing out in front of them.

"Do you really think I didn't know Alison was pregnant when I married her?" Sheffield continued. "I found out everything there was to know about her, including who got her pregnant. Not that she knew that. But in spite of it all, I wanted her. I needed someone like her, but you would never understand that, because you've never cared about anyone but yourself your whole life."

"And guess who taught me that, Dad?" Mase asked, sputtering in anger. "You're a holy-than-thou asshole who thinks everybody's beneath you. You don't respect anybody, especially me."

"And this stunt was supposed to gain my respect?" Sheffield asked, his face now red as he clung to his daughter.

"I could care less about your respect anymore," Mase laughed. "I found out you were deeding Echo Springs over to Molly…who isn't even yours. Why the fuck would you do that?"

"So you did intend to kill her," Sheffield said sadly, the realization hitting him hard. "And maybe me as well."

"Oh, Masefield doesn't have it in him to do the job himself," Jonas Beck said pleasantly as he stepped between them. "Your son doesn't like to get his hands dirty, which probably doesn't surprise you."

"I don't think anything will surprise me after this," Sheffield said.

"I'm a man who doesn't like surprises, Mr. Kemp," Beck said as he walked toward Deeks and Henry. "These two made the mistake of trying to fight your battle. Very heroic if it wasn't so stupid. So I would like to know if there are any other surprises coming that I should be aware of."

"You told me to bring the ransom here, and I did that," Sheffield replied. "Now keep your end of the deal and let me take my daughter home."

"These two men may be stupid, but I'm not, Mr. Kemp," Beck said smoothly. "In case you haven't noticed, my associate, Mr. Dever is quite good at bringing a man to his knees. Just ask Deeks here, or better yet, just look at the damage Mr. Dever has already done to the man. And he hasn't even used his favorite weapon yet. Show him, Wayne."

Dever slid the large hunting knife from behind his back, and it was too much for Henry Tarver. He bull rushed the man, but one of the armed guards slammed the barrel of his rifle across the back of his skull before he even got close. He was groggy when they pulled him to his feet.

"Do I know you?" Dever asked, gripping the front of his uniform as he pressed the knife against his throat.

"I'm Henry Tarver, the game warden. You killed my brother and left his body on the banks of the North Platte below Bennett Peak last fall," Henry said. "Ring any bells, or have you killed so many innocent people you can't remember one from the other?"

"Oh yeah…I remember," Dever laughed, but choked on it, spitting blood on the floor as he stumbled back. "That was a favor to Masefield here. Your brother got his nose a little to close to our business."

If the two men holding onto Henry hadn't had a good grip on him, Masefield Kemp would be on his ass. But his threats were loud and very clear, and Mase seemed to shrink as they were yelled at him.

"Okay, enough," Jonas Beck shouted. "How many others came with you, Mr. Tarver? Tell me, or I'll have Dever cut off a couple of this girl's fingers to show you just how serious I am."

"You don't have to do that, Beck. I'll tell you," Deeks said, sounding as desperate as he could. "There's a helicopter coming. A Federal SWAT team is on board. They were supposed to give Henry ten minutes to get inside and give them intel on your numbers. He's on comms."

Henry looked shocked by the story, but recovered quickly, until a guard knocked him unconscious. Deeks saw a moment of doubt cross Jonas Beck's face, but Dever ordered the others outside, shouting logistics as he handed out automatic weapons. All Deeks could do was hope Callen and Kensi were waiting. It was the look from Sheffield Kemp that surprised him. The man instinctively knew he was lying, and quickly moved Molly toward the back of the room. As gunfire erupted outside, Deeks shouted out a warning. Mase Kemp stalked past him, a handgun pointed at his father as he cursed his name, completely focused on killing the two people in his sites.

"Mase, please…don't do this," Molly cried out, but her brother only laughed.

It was his last. Elan stepped from the shadows and threw his knife, burying it in Masefield Kemp's throat.

…

…


	19. Chapter 19

**Choices**

_Chapter 19_

…

Molly screamed as Mase toppled backward, clutching at his throat with a surprised look on his face. Blood gushed freely across his chest, pooling on the floor beneath him, the anger in his eyes now forever dormant. Elan grabbed Molly, yanking her out of her father's arms, and shoving her down the back hall as Jonas Beck turned and opened fire on them. Sheffield shouted his son's name as he tried to follow, but went down as Elan dove for Mase's gun.

"You pick that up and your friend here dies," Beck said, pointing his gun at Deeks. "Now get up and join him."

"Don't do it, Elan," Deeks said.

"Shut up, smart ass," Beck growled. "You'll die soon enough, just like your friends outside."

Elan's expression was lethal, but he didn't move, keeping his eyes on Beck as he spoke. "You've looked better, Cuz."

"Felt better too," Deeks replied. "Is Kensi here?"

"Right here, baby," she said as she stepped in the front door and fired, hitting Jonas Beck in the back of the head.

The man momentarily looked like a puppet without a puppeteer, his limbs dropping uselessly to his sides as his body collapsed to the floor, the gun slipping from his lifeless hand. Elan was beside Deeks in an instant, cutting him free from the ropes that held him up. He had no strength left and stumbled into Elan's arms.

"I got you, Cuz," he said, helping him over to the leather chair in the corner.

Kensi roused Henry, who groaned as he rose up on his hands and knees, looking around in a daze. As she made her way toward him, Deeks could see how concerned she was, and he tried to sit up a little to convince her he was fine. He failed, suddenly feeling woozy and weak as she knelt in front of him.

"Oh my God, baby…look what they've done to you," she said.

"Yeah. Not my favorite honeymoon so far," he whispered as she caressed his cheek.

"How many honeymoons have you been on?" She asked, a small smile softening her distress.

"Just this one," he replied. "And it sucks."

"Then we'll call the next leg of this trip our second honeymoon," she said. "And on that one, we are staying in bed the entire time."

"Awesome," he whispered.

"You scared me," she said, her eyes filling with tears as she succumbed to her emotions. "I was afraid of what I'd find when we got to you…that you...I can't lose you, Deeks."

"I know, baby…I know," he said, reaching for her, wishing he had the strength to hold her. "It's gonna be okay…I'm good…we're good now. I love you."

"I love you too…so much…more than I thought possible."

The feel of her hands on him was overwhelming, as if her touch had brought him back from the dead. She was his life, his whole world, and he felt so very grateful to be alive…to have her here with him.

"Cuz…" Elan put a hand on his shoulder and nodded to where Sheffield Kemp lay.

Molly was kneeling beside her father, her soft whimper sad and painful to hear. "Is he dead?"

Henry Tarver crawled over to Kemp and checked for a pulse. "He's alive."

Elan moved quickly to staunch the bleeding, while Kensi pulled the Sat phone and called Sheriff Sogard. She gave a brief explanation of what had happened and the cabin's coordinates. When she ended the call, she let them know a medevac chopper was on its way. Molly was sobbing as Elan worked on her father, so Kensi went to her. She seemed fragile and so very young as she threw herself into Kensi's arms, holding onto her tightly as all the horror of the last couple of days and hours crashed down on her.

"Molly?" Sheffield Kemp croaked out, reaching for her.

"Daddy…I'm so sorry…"

"Sshhh, now," he replied. "You're a tough girl, and you need to be strong now. Okay?"

She nodded and turned to grasp his hand, stifling her tears as she curled up close to him. Kensi left her there and walked back to look Deeks over with a critical eye.

"Still good, Mrs. Bleeks. Thanks for having my back," He said, warmed by the smile he would never get enough of.

"Sogard's coming," she said. "And so is Chief Hartman. The sheriff said Hartman needs to see Dever's dead body so he can sleep at night."

"He won't find it," Callen said as he walked in the cabin. "He took off on that blue roan as soon as he realized things weren't going his way. Never could get a clean shot."

"Sonofabitch," Deeks murmured, slumping in the chair.

Henry Tarver stood up and headed for the door. "Tell me which way he went, Callen."

"He won't get far, Henry," Deeks said. "I'm pretty sure Purty's bullet hit a lung."

"I need to make sure," Henry said, and picked up one of the rifles Beck's men had left.

"At least wait for backup," Callen said. "He's a killer. And right now he's probably a pissed off killer. If he's lying in wait out there, you won't stand a chance."

"I'll go with you, if you wait until I can get Deeks on the helo," Elan said. "Don't worry. We'll track him down."

"He's already got a pretty damn good head start," Henry said. "I'm not losing that bastard now."

"You might as well go, Elan, or he'll take off on his own like he did with the snowmobile," Callen said. "Kensi and I will take care of Deeks and the Kemps."

"I'll bring up the horses," Elan said, but stopped to squeeze Deeks' shoulder. "I thought we were too late this time, Cuz. When I saw my mare by the lake…"

"You expected to see my body," Deeks said. "I'll be okay, Elan, and Soldier needs to know Molly is too. Call George before you go."

"I'll call him," Kensi offered. "Dever's the last man standing. You two need to finish this so we can all get some sleep."

…

The high sun sent shards of light through the forest canopy above them, flickering amongst the shadows as they steadily followed the tracks of Dever's blue roan. There was a mixture of distracting sounds; the shrill cry of circling hawks as they searched for prey; the musical sound of melting snow running in rivulets down to the creek below; and the sharp crack of limbs that might signal an elk or a roaming bear passing by. Elan tried to concentrate, listening and looking for any sign that they had closed the gap on their prey. It was how he thought of the man now, a rabid animal that needed to be put down. The man he rode with had lost his younger brother to the butcher. He had almost lost his son and a man he loved like a brother. His mind roiled with images of both, their bodies now terribly damaged by a man who had chosen to become a killer for hire to satisfy the inherent evil inside of him.

Crow suddenly pricked his ears, and Elan slowed the pace. Henry was riding George's buckskin, Honcho, and Elan tensed when the animal whinnied softly. They pulled up, and Henry squinted, scanning the forest ahead and the rocky crag beyond it. Elan suddenly sensed danger and reacted instantly, jerking the reins hard, sending Crow careening into Honcho as the bark on the tree beside him exploded into splinters. The second shot sent Henry's hat flying as they both grabbed their rifles and dove from their saddles to seek cover behind the nearest tree.

"His aim's off," Henry said. "Maybe Deeks was right. That bullet wound must be taking its toll."

"I'm not counting on it," Elan huffed out. "Keep him busy. I'll try to flank him."

"If you keep coming, I'll shoot your horses," Dever yelled, coughing harshly at the end.

The threat made Elan angry, but he kept moving from tree to tree, trying to get a glimpse of the man. Dever fired a couple of more rounds in Henry's direction, giving Elan confidence that the man had no idea he had moved his position. He was finally able to find an unobstructed view of the rugged cliff where he was sure the man was hiding. Large jagged boulders lay scattered at its base, perfect cover for a man with a rifle. In the grove of ponderosa pines that stood sentinel around the rock face, Elan saw movement. Flashes of grey, a glimpse of an angry switching tail, and a squeal of fear alerted him that Dever's blue roan was scared out of its mind and wanted to run. Elan quickly scanned the base of the cliff, searching for what had frightened the horse. The scream he heard didn't sound human, but it was.

Elan broke cover and moved stealthily forward from tree to tree. When he saw two little black bear cubs scurry up one of the ponderosa pines, he knew Dever had picked the wrong place to hide. The crack of a rifle shot made Elan stop until he saw the man stumble out of the boulder field, struggling to reach his blue roan with a lumbering mama bear on his tail. Dever managed to get a grip on his saddle, but the horse squealed as the bear closed on them, finally yanking free of its tether. The blue roan reared, lashing out at the bear with its hooves, and dumping Dever on the ground as it fought for its life. The horse spun away from the bellowing bear, bolting past its owner and rushing by Elan with terrified eyes. Dever began to drag himself away from the bear, finally clawing his way to his feet, and pressing his back against the trunk of a tree. Elan locked eyes with the man, seeing nothing but rage as he shouted curses, screaming for help as the bear roared out its challenge.

Elan had a choice. Shoot the bear or shoot the man, or do nothing at all and let nature take care of the real menace in their midst. The black bear was a mother protecting her cubs, and Elan didn't want to shoot her. Dever was a natural born killer who enjoyed making people suffer. The choice wasn't hard. He turned away and walked back toward Henry, steeling himself against the man's dying screams.

"Elan?"

"Bear got him."

"I'll bring a pack horse up here tomorrow and bring out the body," the game warden said. "Bear will have moved on by then. This isn't a safe place for her cubs anymore."

"You saw?"

"Yeah."

"You catch his blue roan?"

"Yeah," Henry replied. "Not sure what's gonna happen to it now."

"My Uncle Jim might be interested in him," Elan said. "Told me he felt a bond with the animal. Believes that blue roan saved Soldier's life."

"Don't think they'll be any arguments from anybody."

From then on they remained silent, each lost in their own memories. When they rode out of the forest, the sky was clear, as was Elan's conscience. He had no regrets for what he had let happen. He felt a deep release of emotions, his rage finally dissipating as he looked out over the snow covered meadow where he'd found his chestnut mare, Lady. His son was safe now, and so was Deeks. He and his family would build a new barn, and soon there would be foals to nurture.

"Time to go home, Henry," Elan said.

"Yeah. I need a shower after being around those sick bastards," he replied.

It was another hour before they reached the cabin. Men from multiple agencies had tramped the snow around it into mush, and the area in front had been turned into a parking lot for snowmobiles. A helicopter rested fifty yards away in the only open area in the surrounding forest, its markings indicating it was from one of the Federal agencies now involved.

"Damn. There's gonna be paperwork and reports coming out of my ass before this is finally over," Henry Tarver said as he dismounted. "I should retire and become a fishing guide."

Elan was barely listening as he tied Crow up next to Lady. When he looked up, Callen was watching them both, and so was Sheriff Sogard and the Saratoga Police Chief, Pete Hartman.

"You lost the sonofabitch, didn't you?" Hartman spit out angrily. "I knew that bastard would get away."

"Shut up, Pete," Sogard snapped. "Let's hear their report before you lose your shit."

"Elan?" Callen said softly.

Elan was suddenly very tired, so he continued to stare at Callen, hoping the game warden would tell them what happened.

"The bastard's dead," Henry said, sounding as exhausted as Elan did. "Bear got 'im."

"You sure?" Hartman pressed.

"No, you fuck…I'm lying," Henry snapped. "Didn't you see us leading his blue roan in?"

"It was a mama bear with two cubs," Elan finally said. "Dever got too close to her den. I let nature take its course."

"Tough way to go," Sheriff Sogard said.

Elan replied in Arapaho, and then turned around and walked out toward the helo, ignoring the follow-up questions Hartman shouted after him. When Callen jogged up beside him, he stopped and let out a long sigh.

"How's Deeks?" He asked as Callen gripped his shoulder.

"He was in a lot of pain. Passed out when they put him on a stretcher," he replied. "He'd lost a lot of blood."

"Is he gonna make it?" Elan asked, choking on the words, knowing how bad he'd looked when he left.

"Yeah, Elan. He'll make it," Callen replied gently. "I talked to George. He and Joe were there when he was brought in. They took him right into surgery. George said Soldier was asking about you. He's anxious."

"It'll take a few hours for me to get there," Elan said. "I need to drop the horses off at the ranch and get them settled, so maybe longer."

"I'll get Henry to see to the horses. He owes me after that stunt he pulled today," Callen said. "I'll talk to the DEA agent about commandeering this helicopter. They owe us too…big time…for bringing down Jonas Beck and his crew."

"You can do that?"

"If I can't, Hetty can," Callen said as he held up the Sat phone and wiggled it.

Elan smiled for the first time that day, and threw his arm around Callen as they went in search of the DEA agent in charge.

…

George and Joe Atwood had been waiting in the ER when they brought Deeks down from the helipad. Kensi could see the anger in Joe's rigid jaw, but she only saw relief on George's face. She was warmed by the love behind their responses, both true to who they were. Deeks was weak, but managed to reach out to them both before the ER doctors took him.

"He looks like hell," Joe mumbled.

"He's alive, and this is finished," George said. "Let you're anger go, son. We all need to heal now."

Deeks had been sent up to surgery as soon as they had him stabilized, and they were all waiting once again when he was wheeled into intensive care.

The ICU was crowded with Atwoods and Kemps, and Kensi ended up becoming the liaison between them. Dalton had come into Deeks' room to ask Kensi to translate what Alison was saying, while Collingwood hovered just outside. She would only speak French, and even though Kensi didn't want to leave Deeks' side, George urged her to go.

"He's sleeping, Kensi," George said. "Joe and I will stay with him. Go help that poor woman. She's hurting and scared."

Kensi leaned over and kissed Deeks' forehead before following Dalton over to Alison's room. Before they went in, Dalton asked that she not tell her about Mase and what he tried to do to Molly, or that her husband was in the next room. His concern was touching.

Kensi was still amazed that Alison had survived Dever's terrible beating. She was finally conscious, but mentally confused about what had happened to her, desperately asking questions in French. The woman recognized her, even though one eye was completely swollen shut. Kensi spoke gently to her in French, and she smiled, obviously relieved to be able to communicate.

"Où est ma fille?" Alison asked anxiously, and Kensi told Dalton she wanted to know where Molly was.

"Tell her I'll bring her here in a few minutes," Dalton said, which Kensi quickly told her.

Alison calmed down after that and seemed disinterested in any further conversation, except to scold her absent daughter for not coming to see her. She didn't ask about her husband or her stepsons, and Dalton seemed saddened by that, but relieved at the same time. When Kensi couldn't engage her, she left the room. The two of them walked out into the hall together, needing relief from the heavy emotions they were both dealing with.

"How's Purty doing?" Kensi asked.

"He's in critical condition," Dalton replied. "He lost an awful lot of blood, and one of the bullets ended up collapsing his lung."

"Deeks should have stayed with him," Collingwood said, barging into the conversation and irritating Kensi with his criticism.

"He left to go after Dever. The bastard had Molly," Dalton snapped. "He didn't have to do that. She's safe now, and it cost him or he wouldn't be in here."

"Yeah, well Dad's in here too," Collingwood said. "And Mase is dead."

"He pointed a gun right at us, Colly," Molly said as she came up behind her brother. "Mase was going to shoot me and Dad. Soldier's father killed him before he could. Then he pulled me out of the way when the other man started shooting. That's when Daddy got shot."

Molly was crying by the time she finished her story. She was in poor shape and obviously traumatized, but she stood her ground, and told her brother what he needed to hear. Kensi admired her for that, but she also saw anger behind her teary eyes, and she worried the girl might not be able to control it.

"Mase called me a bastard," Molly said, wiping tears from her face. "Is that what you think I am, Colly? Am I just a bastard to you or am I your sister?"

"None of this makes any sense," Collingwood said. "If Alison hadn't lied to Dad about being pregnant when he married her, none of this would have happened. I can understand why Mase was upset. Echo Springs belongs in the family. I tried to tell Dad that."

"Daddy knew about Mom and me," Molly said quietly. "And I've been family since the day I was born, whether you like it or not. Dad came for me, but you…you can go to hell."

"Don't you talk to me like that," Colly snapped. "You've never acted like family…running around with that Indian and those Atwood people. Mase might have been a little messed up, but he…

"A little messed up?" Kensi interrupted, unable to control her own sudden anger. "Your brother was involved with a drug cartel and a murderer. He had people killed to protect his secrets, including a deputy sheriff, and his own bookkeeper. He ordered Alison beaten within an inch of her life by the cartel's hit man, Wayne Dever, who almost killed a thirteen-year-old boy I happen to care about. He tried to kill Molly and your father. Your own brother, Purty, was shot trying to save your sister, and so was my husband. Mase would have had my husband killed if we hadn't gotten to him in time. And one of 'those Indians', as you call him, saved your sister, and helped save your father's life too. Your brother, Mase, was more than a little messed up, he was a dangerous criminal who got what he deserved."

Collingwood looked shocked by her stunning revelations. He either hadn't been told the whole horrible story, or had been in denial when he was. Either way, he had to deal with it now. He stared wide-eyed at Kensi, as if ready to say something, when she heard her name called.

"Kensi?" Elan called out as stepped out of the elevator with Callen.

She turned and hurried to embrace him, feeling the tension in the muscles of his arms when he pushed her back and looked into her eyes. Elan was tough, a man who tightly controlled his emotions in difficult situations. But not now.

"How is he?" He choked out.

"The surgeon said he was lucky to be alive," Kensi said. "Said he'd lost so much blood, if we hadn't gotten him here when we did, he wouldn't have been able to save him. But he's stable now."

"Can we see him?" Callen asked, both men looking shaken by what she'd said.

"He's sleeping, but I know he'd love to see you both when he wakes up," she said.

"Mr. Hand?" Molly said. "I didn't get a chance to thank you for what you did."

She stepped forward and hugged him, finally letting her tears fall as he hugged her back. The Kemp brothers watched, looking awkward and unsure of what to do. Kensi saw Dalton's expression slowly change, and when Molly stepped away from Elan, he reached out and shook his hand.

"Guess this makes us even, so you should keep that chestnut foal you offered," Dalton said, cracking a brief smile.

"Trying to make me into an Indian giver?" Elan asked, staring solemnly at the man before breaking into a soft smile.

"Shit, no…I didn't mean…aw hell," Dalton said, finally realizing Elan was joking.

"He promised you Lady's foal?" Molly asked. "Wow."

"Seriously Elan…I won't hold you to it," Dalton said.

"You saved my brother," Elan replied. "The foal is a gift to honor that."

"So, Mr. Hand…what do you want for saving my father…and Molly?" Collingwood asked. "You must be expecting something."

"Colly…What the fuck, man?" Dalton sputtered.

Kensi thought Callen was going to hit the guy, taking his arm before things got out of hand.

"The only thing I need is to see my son and my brother," Elan said, standing very still, his eyes dark with contempt. "You and your family have nothing I want."

He strode past the man and into the ICU. Callen stopped in front of Collingwood for just a second, and Kensi could see the raw anger in the flexing muscle of his jaw.

"A simple thank you would have been nice," Callen said. "If you ever take your head out of your ass, you'd know that."

They left the two brothers arguing in the hall, but Molly trailed after them. She hesitated in the middle of the ICU, looking unsure as to whose room she should go to. She looked longingly toward Soldier's room, but chose to go to her mother. Kensi felt sorry for her. Her life was in turmoil, so she sought out the one person who might offer the comfort she needed. Kensi just wasn't sure Alison would be able to give her that, being so injured herself.

Deeks was finally awake, but not making much sense, sounding kind of goofy from the anesthesia as he talked with Elan and Callen. The room was too crowded for all of them, so Kensi and George walked out just as Molly hurried out of her mother's room. She looked scared and walked right by them looking completely lost.

"Molly?" Kensi called out.

It was if she hadn't heard, continuing on toward Soldier's room. Kensi and George followed. She stopped just inside, hesitating as Jim Littleshield got up from his chair in the corner.

"He's been waiting for you," Jim said, his voice soft and kind. "He asked so many questions I couldn't answer."

"About me?" She asked.

"Soldier is a worrier," Jim replied. "Got kinda squirmy, so they gave him something to help him sleep."

"Is he in pain?"

"Sometimes. But he is strong…like you."

"I don't feel strong."

Jim Littleshield wrapped an arm around her back, and gently patted her shoulder. He pulled her close as silent tears streaked her face.

"My family's all messed up," she said. "I don't feel like I belong anywhere anymore, and that scares me."

"The strength you have has always been there," he told her. "You found it when you needed to. Now that you know it's there, you need to let it fill you. Then you won't be afraid."

"Have you ever been afraid?" She asked.

"Many times. When strangers hurt my family," Littleshield said. "You need a lot of strength when that happens."

"Do you hate the men who did this?" She asked.

"Hate is a darkness that is hard to escape," he replied. "It pulls you down and holds you captive, like an animal in a trap. It hurts your spirit."

"Do you hate my family?"

"Why do you ask me that?"

"Because they hate Indians like you," she replied. "Because my family hurt your family."

"I used to hate your father," Jim Littleshield admitted. "He hurt me bad once. Real bad. But when I hurt him back, it didn't change anything. I didn't feel better. I just felt empty. I had to choose another path, or I would have been lost in the darkness of my own hate. Now, you have to choose your path. One of darkness or one of light."

"You make it sound like a simple choice," Molly said.

"It isn't."

…

…


	20. Chapter 20

**Choices**

_Chapter 20_

…

Sheffield died Saturday morning. He was alone. His sons hadn't arrived yet, so it was Molly who walked in on the doctors trying to revive him. Their attempt failed. It was a shock, since he had spent the previous day meeting with attorneys. It was if he knew he was going to die and wanted his affairs in order. The only one around to comfort her was Deeks, who had watched the drama unfold from his room across from the ICU nurses' station. She looked stunned, staring at him without tears, as if she had no more to give. His heart went out to her as she walked slowly toward him. Neither one said much, he just held her hand when the tears finally came. He offered to call her brother Dalton, but she suddenly became still and shook her head no, saying she wanted to talk to Purty, who was in a room upstairs and close to her mother. Deeks watched her demeanor harden, and he felt sad for her. She wiped the tears from her face and said goodbye, walking solemnly out of his room, stopping only briefly to look in at her father as the nurses worked to free him from all the monitors. Then she left, and he wondered if he would ever see her again.

"Did you get a chance to see Molly?" Deeks asked Kensi when she arrived just before noon. "How's she holding up?"

"Using anger to cover her pain," she replied. "Snapped at the nurses, even yelled at Dalton when he came in. Alison is doing her best to comfort her, but both are dealing with the fact that their lives will never be the same."

"Is Alison still communicating in French?" He asked.

"No, but she soon might be," Kensi replied as she took his hand in hers. "She's talking about moving back to France."

"What does Molly think about that?"

"She likes the idea. Told me there is nothing here for her now except bad memories."

"That will be hard for Soldier to hear," Deeks said. "He loves that girl, or thinks he does."

"A first love is hard to forget," Kensi replied.

"Who was yours?"

"One wrapped in sadness just like Molly's," she said softly. "He was in the group I snuck out to be with the night my dad was murdered. I still can't say his name without reliving the pain."

"So Soldier really has lost her."

"Unfortunately, yes…through no fault of his own."

"Poor kid," Deeks said and kissed Kensi's hand.

"He gets to go home tomorrow."

"Me too."

"Not what I heard," Kensi said. "They want to move you to a regular room and monitor you for a couple of days. And after what just happened with Sheffield Kemp, I think you should listen."

"I just want to get out of here, Kens," he said. "This is not a restful place. I can't sleep in here. I want to be with you and with family, not a bunch of grumpy nurses who poke me with needles, take my blood, and ask me to pee in a cup."

"Now you're just being overdramatic," she smiled, scolding him gently.

"Can't you ask them to move me to a regular room this afternoon, and then release me tomorrow? That should be enough time to figure out whether I'm good to go."

"You're not going to let this be are you?" Kensi said.

"No, baby, I'm not," he replied, pulling her close. "I want to sleep with my wife. I want to cuddle, and do sexy things with you."

"Couldn't get any of the nurses to give you a sponge bath?"

"I got one all right, but by a woman who had to be at least a hundred years old with hands like sandpaper," he whined. "I think she works part time as a trucker or coal miner or something."

"Poor baby," she laughed. "Thought you liked it rough once in a while."

"Only with you, and not that kind of rough."

"Just so you know," she said, leaning over to kiss him. "I already spoke with the doctor. He's transferring you out of the ICU within the hour. You go home tomorrow afternoon."

"You wanted me to beg, didn't you?"

"Maybe just a little," she replied. "You're so cute when you whine."

"So much for being a tough guy."

"You are tough, Deeks," she said. "Or you wouldn't be here right now."

"I wouldn't be here at all if you hadn't walked into that cabin when you did."

"I wasn't going to let that bastard take out a perfectly good husband," she replied with a lighthearted smile. "Or ruin my honeymoon."

"Thanks for that, Mrs. Bleeks."

Kensi sat on his bedside and leaned over to run her hands through his hair as she kissed him. Her smell was intoxicating, and his body responded as she held his face in her hands. Her lips were warm and soft, her movements sensuous and exciting, and he pulled her close.

"Wish this was a bigger bed," he whispered.

"Want to put on a show for your hundred-year-old nurse?"

"No…no, no," he laughed. "Just want to do honeymoon things with my wife, but in private. I'm tired of being poked and prodded and watched all the time. These nurses…they're like vultures, I tell you."

"Again…a little too dramatic," she said, smiling at his overacting. "But you don't really believe that, do you?"

"No, of course not. They've been great. I love nurses," he replied.

"Really?"

"Not that way, baby. You know…more in a platonic, nursey patient kind of way," he stuttered.

"But I bet you still flirt with them," she said.

"Come on, Kens. It's expected," he said, smiling innocently at her.

"You want to go home with me or not?"

"Okay, okay…I promise not to flirt with the nurses from this moment on," he said, giggling as he crossed his heart.

"Why am I already doubting that pledge?"

"Cause I'm desperate to get out of this place," he said, finally being completely serious.

"Joe and Di's room is waiting for you at the ranch," she said. "And they're fixing up a day bed for Soldier. He'll still need nursing, and Elan will be busy getting the barn rebuilt. He doesn't want to leave him alone up at the cabin while he's out getting wood and whatever else he needs."

"Wish I could help," Deeks said.

"You can't even walk, dumbass," Joe Atwood said, smiling as he leaned against the doorframe.

"Hey, brother. Getting any sleep?"

"I can't get over how loud a tiny little baby girl can cry," Joe said with a yawn as he hugged Kensi. "Its amazing."

"When do I get to meet her?" Deeks asked.

"We're bringing her over for the family dinner tomorrow night," he replied. "It'll be nice to have everybody together and doing something normal. It's been a rough week for everybody."

"For us and the Kemps," Deeks replied. "Sheffield Kemp died this morning."

"I heard," Joe replied. "I was visiting Soldier when Molly came in to tell him. I was glad Uncle Jim from there. She seems to have formed a bond with him."

"Did she tell Soldier her and her mother might be moving to France?" Kensi asked.

"No. She left pretty quickly," he replied. "That'll be tough on him."

"Hopefully, she'll have the courage to tell him herself," Kensi said.

"Maybe we should invite her to the family dinner tomorrow night?" Deeks said. "She probably hasn't had a decent meal since this began, and it'll give those two a chance to talk."

"I'll invite them," Kensi said. "I'll drop by Alison's room before you're released."

"That's gonna be some dinner," Joe said.

"You didn't come here just to talk about babies and dinner," Deeks said. "Did you, brother?"

"You've always been smarter than you look, Marty," Joe said, smiling widely. "Sheriff Sogard offered me a job, and I wanted your take on it."

"How does Diane feel about that?" Kensi asked.

"She's not too happy about it, but she knows I need to find something permanent, and law enforcement is what I'm good at," he replied. "We've got two kids now, and we can't keep living with my dad at the ranch."

"That's not everything, is it?" Deeks said. "You've had other offers, haven't you?"

"Still reading me, brother?"

"It's not that hard, Joe," he replied. "You're an open book when you're not undercover. And even then..."

"Okay, dumbass…you can quit bragging now," Joe said, staying silent for a moment, and nervously moving from one foot to the other. "The FBI reached out to me a couple of weeks ago. Roger Stinson called, to be exact. He still feels bad about what happened in Louisiana. Wants to reinstate me and put me in charge of a Joint Terrorism Taskforce operating out of Denver. It would be a permanent position with great pay and benefits."

"But you'd have to move to Denver," Kensi said.

"It doesn't matter where it is," Deeks said, feeling his long ago anger return. "The FBI treated you like shit, Joe. They terrorized your family. They let people believe you were a traitor, and almost got you killed."

"Guess I'm not the only one who hasn't forgotten," Joe said with a soft smile.

"None of us have," Kensi said.

"The Brotherhood is tough to forget," Deeks said, suddenly recalling the nauseating smell of pork, grits, and algae.

"I turned him down, Marty," Joe said, quickly moving to his side and taking his hand in a firm grip. "I didn't want to tell you when you first got here. I knew how it would affect you."

"I hope you told him where to stick his offer," Deeks replied.

"No, I didn't. He sent you all out there to find me, and I'll always be grateful to him for that," Joe said. "As for the FBI…they are no longer a viable option for me and my family. Fuck 'im, and the horse they rode in on."

"Does that mean you're considering Sogard's offer, cowboy?" Deeks asked.

"It's not a lot of money, but it means Di and I can stay close to both our families," Joe said. "What do you think? Would I make a good deputy sheriff?"

"Can I call you Deputy Dawg?" Deeks asked, only to get a push in the face from Joe. "What? It's rerunning on the Cartoon Network here. It's what I watch at two in the morning when I can't sleep."

"I'm taking that as a weird yes, brother," Joe said.

"Sogard will be lucky to have you," Deeks said. "You'll probably be Sheriff before Little Chris is in kindergarten."

"Don't tell Sheriff Sogard that. He might rescind his offer."

"He won't," Kensi said. "Who would make a better deputy than a decorated former FBI agent?"

"I'm happy for you, Joe," Deeks said. "Does George know?"

"Making the announcement tomorrow night at dinner."

…

Deeks limped out onto the porch off Joe and Di's room at the ranch. The low sun was warm on his face as he leaned over the railing and stared out at the pasture where George and Elan were spreading hay for the horses. Sheila was the first one to push past George. She was always hungry lately, and it reminded him to ask Uncle Jim if she was pregnant. They hadn't mentioned breeding her again, but with all that had happened there hadn't been much time for casual conversations.

Elan had trailered his two pregnant mares, Peaches and Lady, down to the ranch yesterday. It felt good to see them happy and healthy. He was surprised how quickly they had recovered after the fire. His gaze skimmed over the distant pasture and the horses slowly making there way in for their evening hay. Most of the snow had melted, but it still cloaked the high shoulders of the Sierra Madre. Even though it felt good to be on his feet, his painful hip still reminded him of his ordeal whenever he took a step.

A sudden, chilly wind made him turn to go back inside, but he paused when he heard a car rumbling up the road to the house. Elan and George stopped what they were doing and stared, looking as if they didn't know who was about to show up at their front door. It made Deeks curious, and a little apprehensive. He hurried back inside and headed out into the living room. Soldier was ensconced on the couch in front of the fire, and had a wary look on his face. Kensi was checking out the new arrivals from the front window, her hand hovering near a rifle leaning against the gun cabinet. All of them were still a little on edge, unsure if they were finally safe from any further attacks.

"Kens? Trouble?" He asked as Jim Littleshield slowly opened the door.

"I'm not taking any chances," she answered, lifting the rifle into her arms.

Two men in grey suits stood solemnly on the porch, each one holding a briefcase.

"Good afternoon," the older man said. "We're here to talk with Mr. Elan Hand."

"Do you have an appointment?" Jim Littleshield asked as if he were Elan's social secretary, and Deeks laughed out loud.

The two men looked slightly flustered, especially when Kensi stepped up beside Jim holding a rifle in front of her. "Who are you, and what do you want?"

"I'm so sorry. We didn't mean to upset anyone," the younger, balding man said. "I assure you a gun isn't necessary. We're attorneys."

"Does Elan need an attorney?" Jim asked, looking shaken by what this might mean. "Is he being charged with something?"

Deeks stepped up behind Jim, and put a hand on his shoulder, moving him gently aside so he could question the men.

"Are you from the District Attorney's office or from a private firm?" Deeks asked, as George and Elan came in the side door.

"If we could just come inside we will be happy to answer all your questions," the older man said.

"Not until I know who you are and who you work for," Deeks stubbornly replied. "You know your own names, right?"

"I was told you could be rather impertinent, Mr. Deeks. My name is Walter Marshall. My colleague is Edward Phillips. We are…were…Sheffield Kemp's senior partners."

"That wasn't so hard, now was it?" Deeks said with a cocky grin. "Elan? You want to talk to these two or should I let Kensi run them off?"

"They don't look all that dangerous, son," George said, and invited the men in.

When the two were seated at the kitchen table, George motioned for Deeks to sit across from them. It was a little more difficult to get Elan to sit down. He was edgy, and stood tensely behind the two men, who were beginning to look a little apprehensive as he hovered over them.

"Don't be rude, Elan," George said. "Sit down. You're making them nervous."

"Who sent you?" Elan asked, finally sitting down next to Deeks.

"Sheffield Kemp," Marshall, the older man said.

"Not Collingwood?" Kensi asked. "He seemed to think Elan wanted something from the Kemps for what he did."

"I don't," Elan quickly added.

"Collingwood is not privy to his father's directives in this case," Marshall said.

"And what case would that be?" Deeks asked, irritated by their stalling. "Are you suing him?"

"I can understand why you might think that," Phillips said, opening his briefcase with a snap. "But, no. This is about reparations."

Elan looked over at Deeks, who was a little confused himself.

"I don't understand," Elan said.

"Mr. Kemp dictated a letter the day before he died," Marshall said. "I would like to read it aloud. His thoughts should bring some clarification to this matter. And I would like to point out…these are his words and beliefs, not ours."

Elan nodded and the man pulled out the letter and began to read.

_"To the attention of Mr. Elan Hand,_

_I have good reason to hate your kind, but I find myself in an unusual position. I owe you a debt of gratitude for saving my daughter, while at the same time find myself unable to forgive you for killing my son, Masefield. I accept that your actions were justified, and that neither my daughter nor I would be alive if you hadn't been there to stop my son from carrying out his deranged plan. He was mentally unstable, and obviously under the influence of corrupt and vicious men. That said, a man must pay for his misdeeds, and Masefield did that with his life._

_I have always paid my debts, Mr. Hand, and now I find myself in the position of having to pay my son's debts as well. Sheriff Sogard has made me aware that your barn was destroyed on Masefield's orders to cover up his involvement in the deaths of four men, and to shift the blame for those deaths onto you. It was a warped endeavor that revealed just how troubled my son had become. I can make no excuse for his actions, and understand how the loss of property can impact a person's livelihood. Therefore, I have instructed my partners to make reparations for the loss of your barn. I have also been made aware that it was an historic structure in the area, which I have asked my partners to take into consideration when determining the amount of said reparations._

_The amount they will offer you will be good for one month. If you choose to accept this offer of reparations, I will consider my son's debt to you paid in full._

_Sheffield Kemp, Attorney at Law."_

Walter Marshall removed a sheet of paper from his briefcase and slid it over in front of Elan. "We believe this to be a more than fair offer. We have built in enough for you to expand your operation if you so desire. We also took into consideration the emotional distress Masefield's actions caused you and your family."

"A hundred thousand dollars?" Elan said.

"Sonofabitch," Deeks whispered.

Elan looked both stunned and furious. "Get out! I don't want any part of this."

He was up and almost to the door when Soldier called out to him. "Papa?"

When he turned, Soldier was struggling to get off the couch, gasping at the sudden pain his effort had caused. Kensi reached him first and Edward Phillips wasn't far behind. Between them they held him up until Elan reached him.

"I got you, son," Elan said, easing him back down on the couch. "You know better than to move that fast."

"Like you just did, Papa?"

"What do you mean?" Elan asked, as they all crowded around.

"That man burned down our barn," he replied. "He tried to kill our horses, Papa. So maybe Molly's dad was just trying to do something to make up for that."

"I killed the man's son, Soldier," Elan said. "How can I take his money after that?"

Deeks hadn't realized what killing Mase had done to Elan. He had reacted on instinct, had done what he'd been trained to do, but the reality of taking another man's life was weighing on him. Sheffield Kemp's offer had only deepened his feelings of guilt, and the younger lawyer seemed to understand that.

"When we discussed this offer with Sheff, he assumed your barn wasn't insured, and that was probably due to his long held prejudice against Indians," Phillips said. "I won't insult you by repeating his comments. He was a hard and bitter man, Mr. Hand, and a difficult one. But he was quite astute at business and understood the value of property. If you did take out insurance on your barn, then you would, of course, have no need to accept this offer. However, if you did not, and even if you did, I strongly recommend you accept Mr. Kemp's attempt to make amends. Making this about property was easier for him. It was the only way he knew how to apologize for his son's actions, and to thank you for saving his daughter's life without actually having to face you and say the words. Accept it for what it is, Mr. Hand. A business transaction."

"Peaches and Lady are gonna have foals next spring," Soldier said. "They need a good, warm barn, Papa."

"It's too much money, son," Elan replied.

"I've lived here all my life, Mr. Hand," Walter Marshall said. "I own a small ranch of my own, and know the Wyoming seasons as well as you do. There is a small window in which to build. The snow will come before you know it. We provided extra money in case you decided to hire a crew to help in the construction."

"There are some Arapaho on the Rez who could use the money, Elan," Jim Littleshield said.

"You have a good reputation for breeding and selling fine horses, Mr. Hand," Edward Phillips said. "Expanding your business must be somewhere in the back of your mind. Think of this as an investment in your future and in your son's future. I understand that you are a proud man, and this is your choice to make, but something good has to come out of all of this."

"He's right, Elan," George said. "It's time for some healing."

"A new barn rising from the ashes sounds like a good start to me, brother," Deeks said, gripping Elan's shoulder as he struggled with the decision.

Elan still seemed reluctant, but finally nodded in agreement, getting a smile from his son. The two lawyers had him sign a couple of papers, and the deal was done. Deeks was happy for Elan and Soldier, but the emotional damage Masefield had caused would take more than money, and hammers and nails to fix.

Deeks walked the two attorneys out to their car. "What's next for the Kemp family?"

"I think Sheff knew he was dying," Walter Marshall said. "I can't disclose any details, but he made sure no one in his family would suffer any further. Monetarily, anyway."

"I heard Alison and Molly are thinking about moving to France," Deeks prodded.

"I understand you're a Federal agent and an attorney, Mr. Deeks, so you must be familiar with the terms classified, and client privilege," Marshal said. "With the understanding that whatever I reveal remains between the three of us, I would say, hypothetically, that if and when they do, they won't want for anything."

"Sheff had an apartment in Paris. Quite a nice one," Phillips said easily. "And at dinner parties Alison often talked of her desire to have a country house in Normandy."

"Sounds like that Echo Springs money might come in handy," Deeks said lightly, waiting for a reaction.

"We thought you might know about that," Phillips said, looking solemnly at his partner. "We think that's what set Masefield off. He somehow found out that Sheff was gifting that natural gas field to Molly, and he went ballistic. Charged into our office and demanded we stop it."

"Actually, he threatened us both if we didn't," Marshall said. "I thought he was just being a blowhard as usual. I was wrong. The Kemps, and you and this family suffered for it, and I'm very sorry about that."

"You're not responsible for what happened, if that's what you're thinking," Deeks assured them. "He was already deeply involved with Jonas Beck. He was a sick bastard, and mean as hell. We're lucky we stopped him when we did."

"I doubt that was luck, Mr. Deeks," Phillips said.

"So how do you think the Kemp family will come out of this?" Deeks asked.

"With Collingwood in charge, that is a difficult question to answer," Marshall said. "And one we will not have to deal with. With Sheffield gone, our firm will soon become simply…Marshall and Phillips. We don't intend to retain Collingwood as a client."

"I know he's a prick, but won't that cost you?" Deeks asked.

"Not really. Alison and Molly are our new clients," Marshall said with a smile. "We actually like them."

"What about Purty and Dalton?"

"Those two are a rough and tumble duo," Phillips laughed. "They love ranching and horses, the two things Collingwood could care less about."

"And they can kick his butt if they have to," Walter Marshall said.

"I'd like to see that, actually," Deeks said.

"So would I," he replied.

"Have a good evening, Mr. Deeks," Edward Phillips said, shaking his hand.

"It will be. Gonna meet the Atwood's new baby girl," he called out as he stepped away and headed for the porch.

"What's her name?"

"Joy."

"We could all use a little of that."

…

…


	21. Chapter 21

**Choices**

_Chapter 21_

…

Dinner had been a quiet affair, except when the baby fussed. The second time it happened, Kensi had shyly asked if she could hold her, and Deeks watched a slow smile spread across her face when the tiny little thing quieted right down. Discussions between them about children had been put on the "Things We Don't Talk About…Yet" list. It was the only thing on the list really, so her actions were a revelation, and his spirits lifted. She looked up to see him watching her, and he wasn't sure what he read in her expression, except happiness. What that might mean for their future, he honestly had no idea, but it was something. At least he hoped it was.

As they'd worked their way through dinner, designs for Elan's barn had been discussed in earnest, and Callen had informed them that he'd be flying home the next morning. Deeks discovered that his big bay mare, Sheila, had been bred to a neighbor's award winning quarter horse, and that she would be dropping her foal around the same time as Peaches and Lady. But it was Joe's news about becoming a deputy sheriff that was the high point of the evening, even though George's congratulations we're muted. Deeks could tell he was worried that, once again, his son would be walking into dangerous situations on a daily basis. He would never discourage his son from doing what he loved, but his concern was honest. Deeks had watched the silent communication between him and Diane during Joe's announcement. They felt the same way. It was something they both had to learn to live with, just as he and Kensi had come to accept their own vulnerability on the job. He knew they would support Joe, but he also knew it would be hard on them.

Soldier had tried to be enthusiastic, but he was saddened that Molly hadn't shown up for dinner and hadn't called either. No one had told him she might be moving to France, all of them hoping she would come and tell him herself. It was painful to watch his confusion, and the only one to bring a smile to his face was his three-year-old cousin Chris, who pestered him with questions most of the night. They hadn't seen each other in a while, and the little boy wanted Soldier to tell him all about the horses, which was a welcome distraction for the kid.

"I thought she'd come," Kensi said, as they helped each other clear the table.

"It's early yet," Deeks said. "She's traumatized, Kens. Maybe it's just too much for her to deal with right now."

"She's probably still at the hospital with Alison," Kensi said. "They're keeping her a few more days. Purty too."

"She's not coming," Soldier said, moving silently up behind them as they stacked dirty dishes. His expression was stoic, and reminded Deeks of Elan when he absorbed something painful, keeping his response contained until he had the time and inclination to deal with it.

"She texted me," he continued, in short, monotone sentences. "Said her mom wasn't feeling well. They're moving to France. Said she would be busy. Probably wouldn't see me before they left."

"I'm so sorry, Soldier," Kensi offered, but the boy ignored her.

"Can I talk to you, Uncle Deeks?"

"Sure, buddy."

Kensi took the hint and gave Deeks a cautionary look as she headed into the living room towing Chris, who had trailed Soldier babbling out more questions.

"Can we go outside?" He asked.

"You gonna be warm enough?" Deeks asked.

The boy just shrugged and reached for one of the wool coats hanging next to the door. Deeks did the same, and followed him out on the porch. Boo, his resident yellow lab, followed them out, leaving the three older dogs snoring in front of the fire. Deeks limped behind Soldier as he walked gingerly to the end of the porch and stared out at the barn. It had started to snow, and fat white flakes floated down past them in the dark.

"I thought Molly liked me," the boy said.

"Did she say she didn't?"

"No, but she didn't come tonight," he replied. "So she must not want to see me. Doesn't that mean she doesn't like me anymore?"

"Did anybody tell you what happened to her out there, Soldier?" Deeks said.

"A little," he replied. "The man who stabbed me kidnapped her."

"And beat her mother, probably in front of her," Deeks said, not wanting to sugarcoat any of it. "She was roughed up, gagged, tied to her horse, and hauled up into the mountains. Her brother told her he wanted her dead, and then tried to shoot her and her dad. Elan had to kill him, Soldier. She saw that."

"I know what that's like," Soldier said.

"I know you do. That's why I told you," Deeks said. "She's in shock. Just like you were when your mother was killed right in front of you."

"I was mad for a long time after that," he said. "I never told Molly."

"I hope you find a way to see her before they leave. It might help her to talk to someone who understands what she's dealing with. They won't be leaving for a while, so you've got time."

"Guess we're just friends now," Soldier said.

"Kensi and I were friends at first," Deeks said.

"But she doesn't know I love her, Uncle Deeks," he said, sounding desperate. "Shouldn't I tell her that?"

"Now might not be the best time, buddy."

"Then when?"

"Once, when Kensi and I were having problems, George told me love is patient," Deeks said. "You've both suffered. You're both still in pain. Give yourselves time to heal. Be patient, buddy. It worked for me."

"But she's leaving."

"So, maybe you'll go back to France one of these days," he said. "You can look her up. See how she feels about you after she's had time to process everything."

"Yeah…someday maybe," Soldier said. "But, right now…it kinda hurts that she didn't come tonight."

"I know it does, but you can't let that ruin things between you," he replied. "Having her as a friend is a good thing, isn't it?"

"I guess so."

"She's pretty awesome," Deeks said, remembering how comforting the touch of her hands were when he was being dragged up the mountain. "She's a brave girl, Soldier, and right now she needs a friend."

"Yeah…I know," Soldier replied. "I'll text her."

"Or you could talk to her face to face," Deeks suggested.

"Yeah…maybe," he replied. "I could to tell her all about Normandy."

"Alison wants to buy a place there," Deeks said. "You can give her Mimi and Luc's number. They might know of properties for sale in the area."

He could see the boy mulling that over. Soldier had become close to the two when Elan took him to France to meet Lily, a French intelligence officer who had saved their lives, and who he had fallen in love with. Soldier still felt a kinship with Lily's old friends, Mimi and Luc Caron, thinking of them as grandparents. Mimi was a long time friend of Hetty's, and a retired French intelligence agent with an amazing array of powerful friends. Her husband, Luc, had landed on the beaches of Normandy during World War II. When German soldiers ambushed his unit, he'd been badly wounded and had hidden in Mimi's parents' barn on their small farm in the Normandy countryside. He never left. The two married when Mimi was old enough. The old man knew horses, and he and Soldier had bonded almost from the beginning.

"Molly would love Luc's horses," Soldier said, smiling for the first time.

"Mimi would be a good friend to have. And so would Lily," Deeks said, knowing the French intelligence agent would look out for Alison and Molly if Elan asked her to.

Soldier smiled broadly at that. "Papa and I could introduce them."

"You miss all of them, don't you?"

"Not as much as Papa misses Lily," he replied, and then grew solemn. "It doesn't always work out so well when people live that far apart, does it Uncle Deeks? Even if they love each other."

"No…I'm afraid it doesn't," Deeks replied.

The teenager looked resigned after that and remained quiet, looking out at the barn as if it held the secret to it all. Deeks draped his arm across the boy's shoulders and stayed with him, waiting until he was ready to go back inside.

He recalled the conversation the two had up at the overlook, just before all the chaos began. Soldier had seemed so innocent, seeking the answer to the question of how you knew you loved someone. What he hadn't told him then, was what the boy painfully understood now. Loving someone wasn't easy. It was beautiful, and was the most amazing feeling in the world, but it could also tear you apart from the inside. He had personally experienced plenty of ups and downs building his relationship with Kensi, but he hadn't wanted to share all that with Soldier in their initial conversation. He'd just wanted him to experience that magical feeling, that unbelievable rush of joy a first love gave you. He didn't want him to know it could crush your heart if you let it, or that sometimes love only flowed one way, or withered despite your best efforts. Sometimes, a person only get a moment to experience it, but that moment can whet the appetite, and he wanted Soldier to realize that his first love wouldn't be his last. He just didn't know how to tell him that when he still had such strong feelings for Molly.

"Did you love anybody before you met Kensi?" Soldier asked.

"I dated quite a few girls in my early days. Some seriously," he answered carefully. "But I never loved them the way I love Kensi."

"What was the difference?"

"She was the difference," Deeks said. "I'd never met anyone like her before, and once I realized I was in love with her, I wasn't interested in anyone else."

"How many girls were you with before Kensi?"

"Do you want a head count, or can I just say…a lot?"

He heard the boy laugh softly in the darkness, and he began to grin. "It's called 'playing the field'. At least it was back in the day…the days before Kensi."

"When Molly's gone, do you think I'll find someone else I'll like as much as I like her?"

"I have no doubt about that."

"What if it takes a long time?"

"Finding someone you love and who loves you back is the universal quest," Deeks said. "You're young, so just keep searching, buddy."

"Play the field?" Soldier asked with a grin.

"You might be a little young for that," Deeks backpedaled. "But I have a feeling that when you get to high school the girls will find you."

"Really?" He looked doubtful, but hopeful at the same time.

"Just don't let all the attention go to your head," Deeks said, remembering his own conceit. "Just be yourself."

"I'm Arapaho," he said quietly. "A lot of kids at school won't even talk to me."

For some reason, that had never occurred to Deeks, and he was suddenly angry. "I'm sorry that there are people like that in the world…"

"People like the Kemps who hate us just because we're Indians?"

"Molly doesn't hate you, and neither does Alison," he replied. "There are good people out there, Soldier…people who will see you for the good kid you are. People who don't judge."

"Like Molly, and you and Kensi."

"And Cousin Di, and her family, and lots of other people around here," Deeks said. "Make friends with those people, and ignore the others. They aren't worth the effort."

It bothered Deeks that the hate Soldier had experienced made him feel isolated and different, unworthy somehow. It enraged him that the boy would have to learn to live with that kind of prejudice. He could only hope it didn't sour him further and make him bitter. Soldier was young, but innocence never lasted long in this world, as Deeks knew from experience.

"Horses are a lot easier to understand than people," Soldier finally said, and yawned.

"For you, maybe," Deeks said. "Me…not so much."

"Sheila loves you," Soldier said, grinning widely.

"Of course she does. She's a very intelligent animal."

"You're really funny, Uncle Deeks," the boy said, and turned to face him. "And I love you, too."

He hugged Deeks fiercely, and the gesture, along with the boy's declaration, left him stunned. A rush of warmth spread through him as he hugged Soldier back. They had come close to losing this remarkable, found boy, and Deeks would cherish this moment. Elan was blessed to have him as a son, and Deeks could only hope that some day he would be as fortunate. As they walked back inside, he wondered if their upcoming "second" honeymoon would be too soon to broach that sensitive subject with Kensi. Probably, but the choice between having kids or not, still hung over them. He loved her with everything he had. She was his world, but he still longed for the joyful rush the birth of their own child would bring. A first love like no other.

…

Epilogue

…

Honeymoon Number Two

…

She smiled to herself. He had let her sleep in, leaving a small pink orchid blossom on his pillow, knowing she would look for him when she woke. She didn't need to read the note beside it. He'd gone surfing. He was due. It was the first time since there'd been here. She tucked the flower behind her ear and set the note on the table beside her with the others. He had taken to leaving notes all over the house. Yesterday she'd found one tucked in a bowl of carambola and mangos on the table on the lanai. Some were silly, some sexy, but all ended with "I love you" and signed "Mr. Bleeks". She couldn't stop him from teasing her with that name whenever he got the chance, and she didn't have the heart to scold him because he always looked so happy when he said it.

Leaning up against the bamboo backboard of the bed, Kensi smiled with contentment, luxuriating in the warmth of the morning air and the sound of birds calling and cackling in the palms that surrounded their honeymoon haven in Costa Rica. It wasn't anything like what they'd expected. It was as isolated as Hetty had told them it was when she'd offered it to them as a wedding gift. It was steps from a secluded beach, and close to town, but the size had surprised them. Knowing Hetty and the kind of wealthy friends she had who own the place, they had expected a sprawling modern house. What they found instead was a snug, low slung bungalow built of warm colored teak and bamboo, with a tile roof. When they walked inside for the first time, Deeks had been speechless, finally speaking only in whispers when they started exploring the rooms, as if he were afraid the place might disappear in a puff of smoke. She was as in awe as he was, but mostly she'd simply enjoyed watching his expressions change as they moved through the house. It was an amazing gift Hetty had given them, the perfect place to recover from what had happened in Wyoming.

Their favorite part of the house was the extended lanai, which was open on three sides and filled with potted orchids and colorful lounges. Just a few steps away, a small, blue tiled pool looked out to the beach. Why they needed a pool when the ocean was just beyond she had no idea, but Deeks thought it was awesome, and laughed out his approval. It was the perfect place to help him rehab his hip, and he'd spent his first few days working to make sure he would be strong enough to surf.

A stone patio surrounded the pool and a pathway led out to the sand and another curved through the palms to a hidden cabana tucked into the bamboo and flowering bushes that pressed the left side of the house. When they first found it, she immediately claimed it as her own, and had pulled her new husband down on it with her. Deeks called it cuddling in paradise. They had made good use of that cabana every day since they'd arrived.

She took her time in the shower, afterwards pulling on shorts and a bright red top splashed with yellow hibiscus, quickly tying the ends in a knot beneath her breasts. It was one of Deeks' favorites, and she wanted to see his eyes light up when she found him on the beach. She was surprised how different she felt now that they were married. They had been comfortable living together for a long time, but actually being married had cemented their bond, erasing that sense of uncertainty that had kept them apart for so long. They'd made a deep commitment to one another, one that made things clearer in her mind. No turning back. No equivocation. The first few hours of marriage for her had been like walking out of a fog into a pure sense of clarity, the prelude to a new life, and a new perspective as to what that life might be like.

Their time in Wyoming had changed that somewhat rosy view, and she felt the sudden urge to find him, too make sure he was okay. He had survived, but her fairytale vision of married life with him had been shocked back to reality. The world still harbored evil men with deadly plans, and they were not the kind of people to walk away when their family was in danger. She had promised that this "second honeymoon" would be spent in bed, and they had made good on that the first week they'd been here, but they were active people, and she knew it wouldn't last. The sound of the sea waves crashing on the beach at night had finally been the breaking point, and Deeks became antsy. She worried he was rushing things when he insisted he was ready to surf, and they had argued, but only briefly, ending up making love in the pool.

This morning she knew just where to find him. Nibbling on the corner of one of the sweet empanadas the cook had left for them, she wandered past the pool and followed the path to the beach. Tall palms curved out over the sand, cosseting the cove as if protecting its privacy. The early morning sunlight warmed the aquamarine water, and highlighted the crests of the waves, which snapped sharply when they hit the wet sand. They weren't terribly big, easing some of her fears that he might have gotten out on his board before he was ready. As soon as she saw him she knew he was going to be fine.

He took her breath away, his body moving sensuously as he worked a wave. Water glistened on his tanned skin and the wind whipped his hair into a wild tangle. But what she loved the most was the wide smile on his face. He saw her and it distracted him. When he waved he lost his footing. Unable to regain his balance, he wiped out, and she started running toward the water, stopping when he came up with a wide grin on his face. He grabbed his board and easily slid up onto it, letting the remains of the wave carry him to her as she waited on shore. She watched him carefully as he stood up and hefted his board. He was limping, but he was still smiling.

"That was awesome," he said, and then shook his head, sending droplets of water all over her.

"You're like a big golden retriever," she sputtered.

"Seriously?"

"And you're limping," she pointed out.

"You're not going to put a 'cone of shame' on me are you?" He asked.

"Well, you're already on a leash," she said, giggling at her own joke.

"Not bad, Mrs. Bleeks," he laughed as he undid said leash from his ankle.

When he dropped his board he took her arms and began to pull her toward the water. She knew exactly what he was trying to do, and shot him a warning look, which only made him laugh.

"Don't you dare, Deeks."

"Oh, but I do dare, Mrs. Bleeks," He said, rushing her further out, and grinning as the water foamed around their feet and rose up to their thighs.

She tried to resist, but he just laughed and fell into the oncoming wave, taking her with him. Soaking wet, she broke the surface intent on being angry, but when he came up behind her laughing and wrapped his arms around her, she melted into him. His breath was warm as he nuzzled and kissed her neck. The lukewarm water ebbed and flowed around them, her shirt clinging to her body. He slowly undid the tie beneath her breasts and she felt an electric current shoot down her abdomen. She sucked in her breath as each one of his hands cupped a breast, his thumbs moving over her nipples now stiff with excitement. She moaned when his tongue licked her ear, and his hand slid down and untied the string that held her shorts, pushing them off her hips. The water rose up to their waists as his fingers moved inside of her, and his mouth closed over her shoulder. She writhed against him, climaxing under his hand.

"I love you," she whispered, and turned to face him.

His kiss was passionate, almost needy, and she pulled back to look at him, holding his face in her hands. The love in his eyes made her want to cry even though she was smiling.

"You're so beautiful," he said, kissing her again as the water rose around them.

"My shorts are around my ankles," she whispered.

"So?"

"So, there are people coming out on the beach," she said, and quickly tied her shirt together.

He suddenly knelt down as the wave ebbed and pulled her shorts up. She laughed as he tied the string in a bow and bent over to run his tongue up between her breasts.

"Come on, Mrs. Bleeks," He said as he took her hand and led her out of the water. "I have a beach towel just for you."

He had set up under the bending palm trees by the path, everything prepared for her coming. He wrapped her in a huge towel, kissing her when he finished drying her off. She reached out and placed her hand on his chest and shushed him when he started to say something.

"Just let me look at you," she said, brushing a strand of wet hair off his cheek.

She suddenly became serious, and he saw that and took her hand, lifting it up to his lips. His kiss was soft and warm, and her eyes filled with tears.

"We live on the edge, Deeks," she said. "How do we make a life knowing that?"

He turned and pulled her toward the large straw mat he had spread beneath the palms. He dropped down onto his side and pulled her down beside him. A slight breeze ruffled his swiftly drying hair as he tousled it, thinking about how to respond. She ran her hand down his leg, wondering why she had brought the subject up.

"I didn't mean to spoil the mood," she said.

"Come here," he said, pulling her to his chest as he rolled onto his back.

"As beautiful as this place is, it isn't real, is it?" He said. "It's just a brief lull in our crazy existence. What we did in Wyoming…what we do every day…that's our reality, Kens."

"And it's what we love," she replied. "For now, anyway."

"What are you thinking, Kens?"

"I was thinking how hard Elan fought to find a son he had never seen. Soldier has become the most important thing in his life…and it's been beautiful to watch."

"Unplanned though," Deeks said. "He never thought he'd actually find him."

"But when he did, it changed his life," she said. "Soldier has made him a better man."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying…he wasn't afraid to bring Soldier into his life," she replied. "Whatever comes their way, they tackle it together. They're both stronger together…like we are."

"Yeah…we are," Deeks said. "Where is this leading, Kens?"

"I don't want us to live our lives being afraid of anything, Deeks," she said, feeling something give inside of her. "I was afraid to love you for so long, but when I got past that, and admitted my love…it made us stronger…and it made our love a beautiful thing."

"And?"

"And…I don't want fear to keep us from experiencing the joy I felt when I held Di and Joe's new baby."

She felt him tense beneath her, and he suddenly rose up on one elbow and stared at her. His eyes were glazed with tears as he searched her face, and she smiled at him.

"Do you mean what I think you mean?" He asked, his voice low, and hopeful.

"Bringing a child into this world has scared me for a long time," she said. "It's a crazy world filled with some very bad people and an uncertain future. And as much as I love my job, and as much as we love each other, I want us to experience the kind of love only a child can bring into our lives."

"Seriously?"

"I want the full scale, all in, black diamond rated, family experience," she said, smiling broadly. "What do you think, Mr. Bleeks?"

"I think I love you, Mrs. Bleeks."

"You better, because when Baby Bleeks does enter our lives, you'll have to settle for playing second fiddle."

"Ready and able, and more than willing."

…

The End

…

_Thanks to all who have read this story. My thanks to all the reviewers and to those guest reviewers I couldn't thank personally. I've enjoyed reading them all. Until next time…Sweet Lu._

…


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